{Always Remember Him}

The word remember is recorded in holy writ nearly 500 times. God wants us to keep the most important things always in our minds, because what we remember influences so much. What we remember influences our actions, desires, understanding, and eventually what we become. The most important event in time and eternity is the voluntary sacrifice of Jesus Christ for every person that has ever or will ever lived. (we call that sacrifice the Atonement) If we remember Christ, we will grow in our faith and testimony. We will increase in our love and obedience, finding the forgiveness we need to cleanse us from sin. We come to feel in our hearts  all things will be made right by Him. We will have peace in this life and eternal life in the life to come. Remembering is the key to eternal progression. But what does it mean to always remember Him? Why do we need to always remember Him?

A few weeks ago, I was reading in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ and I noticed a pattern. The people had miracles in their lives that they could not deny. They knew from fulfilled prophecies that Christ was born in Jerusalem. They knew He would come. They believed that all their fathers taught about the Son of God coming to earth and suffering for their sins. But eventually in 3 Nephi 2 we read, "....the people began to be less and less astonished at a sign or wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all they had heard and seen." Somehow with time, when their priorities began to shift, when popularity and monetary gain became more important than a connection with God, the people forgot all that God had done to preserve them. They didn't remember times when God's love was evident in their lives, from streams of tender mercies to mighty miracles. An understanding of Christ's Atonement, the literal key to salvation itself became less and less of a focus until they lost their way. They forgot that the Son of God condescended from glory and power to willingly subject Himself to all the pain of every soul. Because of Him death would have no sting. Good permanently triumphed over evil forever and ever. They could be clean from their sins, be healed in their hearts and souls, if they would obey the gospel. And just like these people so long ago, until we remember these truths and come unto Christ, we are denying ourselves these blessings of eternal importance.  
I think something that helps me remember the Savior (something I still need to work on every day) is remembering that He never forgets me.

I know that Jesus suffered for me and that He loves me. A scripture that is dear to my heart reads, "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have companssion on the son of her womb? yea they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me" (Isaiah 49:15-16) I can't imagine my mother forgetting me. Even greater than the love of a devoted parent for their child is the love Jesus has for me and for every soul, every person on earth, every child of God. No one, no matter how lost they may feel, how much they have strayed or sinned, is exempt from this divine love. It is eternal. It is perfect, unconditional, and never ending. Please if you feel you are lost, seek the Savior. He will pull you up from the depths of despair which He Himself descended below and lift you to freedom and peace. 
 I think when the Savior looks at His hands, now resurrected, immortal, and glorified and sees the marks of the nails He thinks of each of us with love. Christ Himself taught, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." If we do the things He commands, we are His friends. Because He was the Son of God, no one had the power to take His life from Him. Instead, He gave it to us. Christ humbled Himself and allowed the will of the Son to be swallowed up in the will of the Father. His love for us and desire to see us return to our heavenly home was stronger than any desire He had to shirk from incomprehensible agony and suffering. 

 
President Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve apostles taught,
 "His mission was the Atonement. That mission was uniquely His. Born of a mortal mother and an immortal Father, He was the only one who could voluntarily lay down His life and take it up again (see John 10:14–18). The glorious consequences of His Atonement were infinite and eternal. He took the sting out of death and made temporary the grief of the grave (see 1 Corinthians 15:54–55). His responsibility for the Atonement was known even before the Creation and the Fall. Not only was it to provide for the resurrection and immortality of all humankind, but it was also to enable us to be forgiven of our sins—upon conditions established by Him. Thus His Atonement opened the way by which we could be united with Him and with our families eternally. This prospect we esteem as eternal life—the greatest gift of God to man (see D&C 14:7).
No one else could effect the Atonement. No other person, even with the greatest wealth and power, could ever save one soul—not even his own (see Matthew 19:24–26). And no other individual will be required or permitted to shed blood for the eternal salvation of another human being. Jesus did it “once for all” (Hebrews 10:10)." ("The Mission and Ministry of Jesus Christ", April 2013) 

This changes everything. I love my Savior. I know He died for me and all. I know He paid the price for my sins, the pains of Hell I would have had to suffer, overcame death so that one day if I follow Him I will stand before Him and know that I am clean. I will have a resurrected, immortal body free of disease and pain.  I can live with those I love forever. There is no greater, life changing, beautiful knowledge than this. I hope and pray that all of us can find the Savior in our lives, let Him change our hearts, and live changed forevermore. Let us never forget. 
We can always remember Him. 
In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
{CTR Always, ETTE}