For many, it can be easier to believe in Jesus Christ’s atoning power for others than to trust in His capacity to cover our individual situations.
Recently on social media, Elder Patrick Kearon has shared several videos on the infinite power of Jesus Christ’s Atonement—focusing on His ability and desire to reach each of us personally. The newest video features sections from his April 2024 general conference talk, “God’s Intent Is to Bring You Home.”
In the video, Elder Kearon says:
“If you are prone to worry that you will never measure up, or that the loving reach of Christ’s infinite Atonement mercifully covers everyone else but not you, then you misunderstand.
“Our Father’s beautiful plan, even His ‘fabulous’ plan, is designed to bring you home. God is in relentless pursuit of you. He ‘wants all of His children to choose to return to Him,’ and He employs every possible measure to bring you back.
“Our loving Father oversaw the Creation of this very earth for the express purpose of providing an opportunity for you and for me to have the stretching and refining experiences of mortality, the chance to use our God-given moral agency to choose Him, to learn and grow, to make mistakes, to repent, to love God and our neighbour, and to one day return home to Him.
“He sent His precious Beloved Son to this fallen world to live the full range of the human experience, to provide an example for the rest of His children to follow, and to atone and redeem. Christ’s great atoning gift removes every roadblock of physical and spiritual death that would separate us from our eternal home.
“Infinite means infinite. Infinite covers you and those you love.
“The Saviour, the Good Shepherd, goes in search of His lost sheep until He finds them. He is ‘not willing that any should perish.’
“Everything about the Father’s plan for His beloved children is designed to bring everyone home.”
This explanation of divine love has resonated with Church members across the globe. “This remains one of my favorite talks ever and I never tire of hearing it,” one Instagram commenter wrote. “I truly believe God loves us each one—and that means ALL of us—and wants to bring everyone home.”
“This message is essential!” another person shared. “I wish that everyone in the whole world could hear and understand this beautiful truth.”
The True Meaning of Infinite
Earlier this year, Elder Kearon spoke on a similar topic to a group of recently returned missionaries in the Philippines. He expanded on the significance of the word infinite connected to Christ’s Atonement, explaining:
“What does infinite mean? Without end. Without limit. Without bounds. Without exceptions.
“You’ve taught this, but sometimes it’s hard to accept that when we’re thinking about ourselves. You’ve discovered this, many of you. You think, ‘Ah yes, but not me. Not that.’
“No, no. If you’ve had that thought, that the infinite Atonement [is] not for me, not for that, I’d say, ‘It’s not yours to say.’ It’s not your judgment.
“Our Father in Heaven sent His Son to atone, to help, to heal, and to demonstrate the pure love of our Father in Heaven, His extraordinary gifts, and His yearning to have us all home.”
The video shows Elder Kearon interacting with the group, and many have appreciated witnessing this teaching moment via social media.
“Wonderful to see the smiles on the faces of those in the audience as the message of the Spirit touches their hearts each in their own way,” one person commented. “His gospel can heal us all in our unique circumstances. His ways are truly not our ways.”
Another wrote: “His Infinite Atonement makes the holiday season so much more meaningful. I am so thankful for Jesus Christ’s Atonement in my life. It brings peace and hope equal to none.”
For more insights on teachings from Elder Kearon, read the articles below.
▶ The golden question I found hiding in Elder Kearon’s ‘relentless pursuit’ talk
▶ Do you mumble the hymns? 2 forms of power you receive by singing with your heart
▶ Christmas traditions from 3 Apostles to help bring the Spirit to your holiday season
