For me, and for you!

We were talking with some of the missionaries in our ward and the question came up "What is the motivation for missionary work? Why do we do it?" Everyone knows that serving a mission isn't easy, so why stay?

Upon further discussion, one of the Elders asked, "what do you think of when you think of the word 'Atonement?'"

Each of us came up with different responses. Forgiveness. Love. Acceptance. Mercy.

When it was my turn to respond the words "for me" came to mind. The Atonement is for me. I need it.

I need forgiveness. I need to repent--daily. Forgiveness if for me. Christ loved me enough to take on my sins. My pain. My suffering. It was personal. It was intimate. It was for me. The Atonement showed Christ's love for me. The Atonement is there for me to accept. The Atonement provided mercy for me.

The Atonement is as much for me as it is for you. It's there for you to accept, to feel loved, to feel forgiven and to be wrapped in the arms of mercy. It's there for you whether you choose to accept it or not. It can relieve pain. It can heal hearts. It can mend relationships. I can testify of that. I have felt it, I know its power. It's for me, its for YOU.