The Infinite and Eternal Sacrifice

My last few posts have been about sacrifice. Sunday was Fast and Testimony meeting in the LDS church's sacrament meeting, so I have been thinking since then of the great and last sacrifice the infinite and eternal sacrifice, that of Jesus Christ our brother, friend, and Savior. My 4 children were sick on Sunday and my husband stayed home with them. My niece and nephews (2) that come with us did family things so I was at church by myself. Before the Sacrament ( bread and water) was to be passed, I thought no children to quiet down or take care of what am I going to do. So I had decided to use this time to pray and think about things in my life I need to repent of and change and how I can be better this week. Then the thought came to me that I should open up my scriptures and read about the Atonement and Crusifiction of the Savior Jesus Christ. So I argued with myself for a second or 2 about which was better and then decided that both were equally good and better yet the thought to open my scriptures most likely came from the Holy Ghost. I took out my bible and read in Matthew and Luke about the sacrifice for sin in the garden of Gethsemane and in Matthew Luke and John about the death on the cross. I felt the spirit so strongly as I read these scriptures. And some things really stood out to me. For Example it is incredible to me that he would suffer so much pain and anguish for me. I know it is not just for me but He did it for me as well. Also, how loving and perfect our Savior is. While on the cross, after suffering so much in the garden of Gethsemane, being whipped enough times to kill a normal man, a crown of thorns placed on His head and then nails driven into His hands and feet and wrists and a sword wound in His side, with all of this pain he still has the love and patience to take care of His mother and then asks Heavenly Father to forgive the soldiers because "they know not what they do". I thought of how when Iam sick or in pain or even just tired how impatient I am with my children and yet here He is suffering more than any of us will ever know and He is thinking about all those around Him. It is Amazing to me. Then because of this Great and Last Sacrifice, Infinite and Eternal, we are able to repent and return to our Heavenly Home again. And They are there patiently waiting for us to figure it out, to accept the plan and live it, once again as we accepted it before we came to earth. Those of us who have made mistakes or just not really figured things out quite yet, we can learn and grow and accept the truth and then like the Prodigal Son we can return to waiting, open, forgiving arms. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.