Patrick's Farewell Talk

When Patrick took the stand he had everybody stand up! nobody new what was going on he then said wiggle your arms, now doesnt that feel better? it does for me! Then Patrick commenced to give the talk of his life, below is the draft that he used in giving his talk.

GOOD AFTERNOON BROTHERS AND SISTERS

- A LOVING MOTHER (who wants nothing but the best for me and is always there for me)

- A FATHER (who pushes me to do my best and accomplish all that I am capable of)

- A BROTHER and SISTER (who hopefully look up to me for guidance when they have questions)

- AND EXTENDED FAMILIES FROM BOTH SIDES THAT LOVE AND CARE FOR ME

- I SERVE IN A CALLING AS AN ASSISTANT TEACHER

- I HAVE DONE MANY THINGS AND TRAVELED MANY PLACES IN MY LIFE THAT I AM HAPPY I’VE HAD THE EXPERIENCE AND OPPORTUNITY TO DO

- I HAVE A LOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR AND AM BLESSED IN MANY

INDESCRIBABLE WAYS

Today I’ve been asked to speak about the Atonement,

I would like to start off with reading some words that Elder Russell M. Nelson had published in the Ensign, Nov 1996 titled “The Atonement”

The Creation culminated with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They were created in the image of God, with bodies of flesh and bone. Created in the image of God and not yet mortal, they could not grow old and die. “And they would have had no children” nor experienced the trials of life.

That brings us to the Fall. Scripture teaches that “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” The Fall of Adam (and Eve) constituted the mortal creation and brought about the required changes in their bodies, including the circulation of blood and other modifications as well. They were now able to have children. They and their posterity also became subject to injury, disease, and death, they would also make mistakes as they learn to make choices. These mistakes could stop them from returning to our heavenly fathers presence. The plan included a way for mistakes to be overcome.

This is called the Atonement. Jesus Christ volunteered to do what was necessary for us to return. Paul said, “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. The ordeal of the Atonement occurred in the city of Jerusalem. There the greatest single act of love of all recorded history took place. Leaving the upper room, Jesus and His friends crossed the deep ravine east of the city and came to a garden of olive trees on the lower slopes of the Mount of Olives. There at Gethsemane, the Lord “suffered the pain of all men, that all … might repent and come unto him.” He took upon Himself the weight of the sins of all mankind, bearing its massive load that caused Him to bleed from every pore.

Later He was beaten and scourged. A crown of sharp thorns was thrust upon His head as an additional form of torture. He was mocked and jeered. He suffered every indignity at the hands of His own people. “I came unto my own,” He said, “and my own received me not.” Instead of their warm embrace, He received their cruel rejection. Then He was required to carry His own cross to the hill of Calvary, where He was nailed to that cross and made to suffer excruciating pain.

Now, the majority of the world recognizes Christ as being the only perfect person on earth, as well as his everlasting atoning sacrifice to save all who choose to follow. He paid the price of sin, so that we too can gain eternal life and happiness if we choose to follow him. He has shown us the way.

He was obedient to all the laws, and by the shedding of His blood, His and our physical bodies could become perfected. He took care of our transgressions, If as we learn to obey we choose to repent with our choices and make changes in our lives.

The Creation required the Fall. The Fall required the Atonement. The Atonement enabled the purpose of the Creation to be accomplished.

The song I am a child of god tells us a great deal about our heavenly fathers plan. He sent us to a family to be taught, loved, and supported as we learned his laws witch would help us be happy and even become like him. The supreme purpose of the Creation is to prepare us for eternal life. This includes preparing our families here on earth to be together forever. Families are an essential part of the plan.



May I share an experience I had a while back, when I thought to myself, “How has my life turned in this direction?” Speaking of when I took my life into my own hands by not following the teachings I was raised with. I felt alone, distant, rebellious, even hurt at times if someone I knew tried to tell me something I should do in order to regain my life’s footing or even my testimony which I had slowly lost. There was an incident that happened that took every ounce of emotion from me and made it surface. It’s what I called a turning point in my life. Although it’s too personal to share, I will say that the feelings of gratitude remain strong for having that experience.

From that time forward, the spirit has touched the very depths of my soul, because of the everlasting atoning sacrifice of my Lord and Savior. I have experienced a temporal and spiritual healing and rebirth, like a rekindle to my once burning flame that my spirit possessed. For that, I’m eternally thankful to know that the atonement was and is true in my heart, for there has been a comfort within my spirit.

He wishes not to control, but to allow us to come unto him. We have to experience life and be converted in order to know of these things to be true.

In the book, “True to the Faith”

Salvation from Our Sins

Although we are redeemed unconditionally from the universal effects of the Fall, we are accountable for our own sins. But we can be forgiven and cleansed from the stain of sin if we “apply the atoning blood of Christ”. We must exercise faith in Jesus Christ, repent, be baptized for the remission of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Alma counseled: (Alma 7:14) “Ye must repent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if

ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness”.



Finding Peace and Healing through the Atonement

The blessings of the Savior’s Atonement extend throughout eternity, but they also come in this life. As you come unto Christ, you will know the joy of being clean before the Lord. You will be able to echo the words of Alma, who, after much sin and rebellion, experienced the painful but healing process of repentance. After he had been forgiven, he testified: “I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed

up by the memory of my sins no more. “And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! “. . . There could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. . . . On the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy” (Alma 36:19–21).



This is the message I want to take to the people of the Columbus Ohio mission, that they to may understand the importance of this life, to learn, through making choices, choosing obedience to his laws making mistakes but still being forgiven as we make changes in our lives to become like our Eternal Father.