The Atonement & Answers To Prayer (w/ pictures!)

Hey y'all!

I loved loved loved this Easter more than any other Easter I've had. Well, perhaps it ties with Jerusalem last year. It was phenomenal. And a direct answer to prayer. Ready for the story?

We have been struggling to find people to teach. We've been praying like crazy for some teaching opportunities, but I kept feeling like nothing was happening...until this week =) And all of it relates to the Atonement. Love it.

Atonement Chat #1
We had a few trade offs this week, and funny enough-we go on trade offs with our own Lake Butler sisters. I was with darling Sister Crawford. Not even 4 hours into our trade off during daily planning at the end of the night, the Spirit took our conversation exactly where it needed to go....all about the Atonement and how there was only so much she could do, and the rest had to be turned over to her Savior. I literally loved every minute of her processing and realizing that the weight of white wash training wasn't completely on her shoulders.

Atonement Chat #2
You know when you can tell that something is off with someone you love and adore? Well, on Easter Eve something was off with my dear companiera. Long story short, we had one of the world's best heart to hearts in the car during our last hour of the night. And in that moment, I was able to testify of the Atonement and tell her all about an epiphany story I had had a while back. The Atonement isn't just to redeem, it is to enable us-provide us with power that it far beyond our own.

Atonement Chat #3.

When we got home that night we built a fort with our other darling sisters, Sisters Tsai and Crawford (Fort LB pow wows are now a weekly tradition....perhaps this is why President doesn't like 2 sets living together---oh well, we absolutely LOVE it). And somehow ended back on the topic of the Atonement. And there I was all over again discussing, testifying, and pondering the Atonement as dear Sister Tsai shared with us her fears about her mission now that she has been out a few weeks. She just needed to know that she is enough, no matter her weaknesses....with her Savior she can be exactly who Heavenly Father needs serving here in Lake Butler.

Atonement [Personal] Chat #4

Later, I was reading something from a friend about the question I was bringing to Easter Sunday all about the infinite concept of the Atonement. Simply put, while perhaps Heavenly Father was able to work through me to address other's prayers about the Atonement.....He then answered mine as well. There is absolutely nothing that the Atonement cannot cover. Christ overcame the world, not just part of it.

Moral of the story, I kept praying to teach more lessons. And it took a few days, but I finally realized that He was answering my prayers...Maybe they weren't to investigators, but I was able to teach and testify all about the Atonement all throughout the week of Easter to those I am closest to. I couldn't be more grateful for the infinite power of the Atonement and the ways it can help each and every one of us, no matter the situation. 

There are quite possibly an infinite number of lessons to learn about the Atonement...and this week I was able to take part in 4 lessons with the darling Lake Butler sister team. I love it.

Heavenly Father is answering each of your prayers...but are you really allowing Him the opportunity to answer in His perfect ways, instead of the ways you are expecting?

I love this work. And I am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We are the luckiest people alive to have this gospel not only in our lives, but as the center of your lives. Who are you going to share it with this week?

Sister Hutchins