Strength Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ

Several years ago, President Dallin H. Oaks gave an address in general conference on the strengthening power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. He taught, “Most scriptural accounts of the Atonement concern the Savior’s breaking the bands of death and suffering for our sins. In his sermon recorded in the Book of Mormon, Alma taught these fundamentals. But he also provided our clearest scriptural assurances that the Savior also experienced the pains and sicknesses and infirmities of His people. Alma described this part of the Savior’s Atonement: ‘And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people’ (Alma 7:11).” President Oaks continued, “Think of it! In the Savior’s Atonement, He suffered “pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind.” As President Boyd K. Packer explained: ‘He had no debt to pay. He had committed no wrong. Nevertheless, an accumulation of all of the guilt, the grief and sorrow, the pain and humiliation, all of the mental, emotional, and physical torments known to man—He experienced them all.’ Why did He suffer these mortal challenges ‘of every kind’? Alma explained, ‘And he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities’ (Alma 7:12).” He further commented that Alma’s teaching here in Alma 7:11-12 is the “the single clearest of all the scriptures on this essential power of the Atonement,” meaning that it teaches best how the atonement of Jesus Christ can give us power to overcome mortal challenges not caused by sin.

               As I thought about this statement from President Oaks, I realized that we have several examples from Alma’s life that highlight the power of the Savior to help us through our mortal trials and give us the strength to overcome them. Shortly after he became the first chief judge, there was a war with the Amlicites, and he led the Nephites and fought beside them to seek to preserve their freedoms. Alma went head-to-head with Amlici in battle: “And it came to pass that Alma fought with Amlici with the sword, face to face; and they did contend mightily, one with another. And it came to pass that Alma, being a man of God, being exercised with much faith, cried, saying: O Lord, have mercy and spare my life, that I may be an instrument in thy hands to save and preserve this people. Now when Alma had said these words he contended again with Amlici; and he was strengthened, insomuch that he slew Amlici with the sword” (Alma 2:29-31). Alma was given strength through the atonement of Jesus Christ to overpower the enemy who sought to overturn the Nephite government by force. Later when Alma was confined in prison with Amulek, enduring the cruelest of treatment at the hands of the people of Ammonihah, he again reached out to the Savior for strength: “And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come upon them” (Alma 14:26). Again, it was through the Savior that he was given power beyond his normal strength to overpower his enemies. Later when he went to teach the Zoramites, he struggled to know how they could help this apostate people. He prayed earnestly, “O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people. O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success, and also my fellow laborers who are with me” (Alma 31:31-32). He knew that he could find strength through Christ to overcome his sorrow and afflictions. He summarized the help and power he received from the Savior during his life to his son Helaman in these words: “And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me” (Alma 36:27). Alma’s life and teachings to us is a witness to these summary words of President Oaks: “[The Savior’s] Atonement also provides the opportunity to call upon Him who has experienced all of our mortal infirmities to give us the strength to bear the burdens of mortality. He knows of our anguish, and He is there for us…. The healing and strengthening power of Jesus Christ and His Atonement is for all of us who will ask.”