With Easter weekend approaching, my thoughts have been turned more toward my Savior - His unmatched life, His sacrificial death, and His glorious resurrection.  I am so grateful to know that my Savior still lives, and that because of His atonement, I will also live again after I die. My thoughts, however, have been particularly drawn toward a different kind of new life that comes through the Savior.

Part of our experience here on earth consists of  trials, sin, and sorrow. There are times throughout our lives when we may feel like we've died inside. Just as the resurrection offers new life and hope to those who have physically died, the atonement offers new life to us as we experience spiritual death. I am in awe of the beauty and tenderness of this miracle! Isn't it a miracle that, if we take advantage of it, the Savior's atonement offers us a clean slate at the beginning of each day? The potential that we have been given is limitless - we can become perfect like our Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ. In Matthew 5:48, the Savior says,

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

I've heard some speak of how daunting this scripture seems. I think it is best understood when paired with Moroni 10:32:

"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."

This makes me think that the Savior's admonition in Matthew is more like a plea to us, asking us to use the atonement that He has so freely given to us. He is not just telling us to be perfect. It is impossible for us to become perfect on our own, but if we will utilize the atonement to repent and change every day, we will see a miracle: we will move closer and closer to perfection. This does not only apply to sin, but it applies to those times in life where we feel like sorrow or trials have brought on an emotional death inside of us.

In these cases, we may not need to repent of anything at all. In fact, it is likely just a matter of having faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ - believing that it can make up the difference and make things perfect for us in the end. It is a matter of accepting the Savior's sacrifice and understanding that things may not feel perfect or fair now, but that His sacrifice is enough and we don't need to demand anymore pain and suffering than was already given. I LOVE this quote by Ezra Taft Benson:

“Becoming Christlike is a lifetime pursuit and very often involves growth and change that is slow, almost imperceptible. …

“… For every Paul, for every Enos, and for every King Lamoni, there are hundreds and thousands of people who find the process of repentance much more subtle, much more imperceptible. Day by day they move closer to the Lord, little realizing they are building a godlike life. They live quiet lives of goodness, service, and commitment. They are like the Lamanites, who the Lord said ‘were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not’ (3 Ne. 9:20)

It is a miracle to me that we have each been called to stand as a witness of Jesus Christ, in spite of our imperfections. I would not count myself worthy to stand on equal ground with the Savior; I have so far to go. And yet, He asks that we stand beside Him and testify of Him. As we do this, we become more like Him and move further along the road to perfection.

"People should be able to see in us something of Jesus Christ. The way we act, speak, look, and even think should reflect Him and His ways...It is within the capacity of each of us to become His witness." (D. Todd Chirstofferson)

As we stand of witnesses of Jesus Christ, miracles can happen in our lives. We can become reflections of Him, and this can be the greatest tool for bringing others unto Him. I am grateful for Jesus Christ and add my testimony to the many others that have been given of Him. I know He lives and I am grateful for the opportunity to celebrate Him this weekend.