"don’t you realize that Jesus has a whole garage full of bikes?"

one of the many things i love about loren is that he KNOWS the gospel, inside and out. he studies every morning and likes to engage in gospel discussions. i wish i could keep up. he was an amazing gospel doctrine teacher in texas and if i could have a nickel for every time i heard "your husband is an awesome teacher!" i would be rich. but i am getting rich in different ways that are much more important. another thing that loren does a lot is listen to conference talks - in his car, in the kitchen cooking dinner, at night as we go to sleep...so i have been able to benefit from this habit of his. thus, the title of this post. one of my favorite talks that we often listen to is from the 2007 women' conference, faith, an anchor for the soul by brad wilcox and wendee wilcox.

They talk about how true faith is more than knowing there is a God. It is knowing God's attributes. It is about knowing our relationship with Him and fulfilling His plan for us.

One of the best parts is when brad wilcox says:

"The goal is not just being with God, but being like God. It is common to hear people say, “God loves us and wants us back."But that is only partially right. Christ’s redemption doesn’t just put us back where we were. It makes us better. God loves us so much He doesn’t just want us back.He wants us better."

It makes me think how important everyday of this life is. it helps me remember that there is a greater purpose than the everyday stuff that we do to "get by." it is so much more.

i could probably point out 26 of my favorite parts in this 26 minute talk, but one of the best stories is what i want to share. it is kinda long, but completely worth the few minutes to read....it helps me understand the atonement in a whole new light.

When Brad was serving as the bishop of a BYU ward a young man came to him to
confess. He unloaded everything he had ever done wrong since elementary school. Brad heard what he had never had the courage to tell another bishop, stake president, mission president, or parent. While the sins were not of major proportions, they needed to be confessed and should have been taken care of years earlier. Imagine the young man’s relief and joy as he finally let go of all he had been carrying so needlessly, privately, and personally for so long. Brad prayed and reviewed some scriptures with him. They discussed the role of confession in the repentance process and set goals for the future. When that young man left Brad’s office he almost floated out of the room.

The following Sunday Brad looked for him in church, but didn’t see him. The next week he wasn’t there either. Brad called his apartment and left messages. Finally Brad went over. The young man answered the door, but didn’t invite Brad in. The boy’s countenance was dark and his eyes hollow. His comments were negative and sarcastic, revealing his depressed mood. Brad asked if he could come in and talk with him. The young man said, “Like that will make any difference?” His words were cold and hard. “Just face it, Bishop, the Church isn’t true. No one can even prove there is a God. It’s all just a joke, so don’t waste your time.”

Wow! From floating on air to the pit of despair, and all in a matter of days. Brad’s first reaction was to become angry. He had no call to be so rude. Brad also wanted to defend the truthfulness of the Church and the existence of God, but then he had one of those bishop moments. Instead of raising his voice or quoting scripture, Brad simply said, “You messed up again, didn’t you?”

The young returned missionary’s darkened expression melted and he began to cry. Between sobs he motioned Brad into his empty apartment and they sat together on the couch. The young man said, “Bishop, I’m sorry. I just feel so bad. I finally repented. I was finally clean. I finally put it all behind me. I finally used the Atonement and felt so good. Then I blew it all over again. Now, my former sins have returned and I feel like the worst person in the world.”

“So the Church is true and there is a God after all?” Brad asked.

“Of course,” he said sheepishly.

“So you just need another chance?”

“But that’s the problem. D&C 58:43: ‘By this may ye know if a man repenteth of his sins, behold he will confess them and forsake them.’ I confessed. I didn’t forsake. So I didn’t really repent. It’s over.”

“Tell me about the Savior’s grace then.”

He said, “Oh, you know 2 Nephi 25:23: We are saved by grace ‘after all we can do.’ We do our best and then Christ makes up the difference. But I did that and it didn’t work. I still went out and did the same old dumb thing. I blew it. Nothing changed.”

Brad said, “Hold on. What do you mean Christ makes up the difference? Christ doesn’t just make up the difference. He makes all the difference. He requires us to repent, but not as part of paying justice—only as part of helping us to change.”

The young man said, “I thought it was like buying a bike. I pay all I can and then Jesus pays the rest.”

I said, “I love Brother Robinson’s parable. He has helped us all see that there are two essential parts that must be completed, but I think of it more like this: Jesus already bought the whole bike. The few coins he asks from me are not so much to help pay for the bike, but rather to help me value it and appreciate it.”

The returned missionary said, “Either way, it doesn’t matter since I just crashed the
bike. So much for grace!”

Brad said, “Wait. What do you mean, so much for grace? You think this is just a oneshot deal? Don’t you realize that Jesus has a whole garage full of bikes? Knowing that Christ makes the difference doesn’t mean much unless we also realize how often He does it. The miracle of the Atonement is that He will forgive our sins (plural) and that is not just multiple sins, but also multiple times we commit the same sin.”

Of course we don’t condone sin. Joseph Smith taught clearly that “repentance is a thing that cannot be trifled with everyday.”5 Still, the same Jesus who forgives those who “know not what they do” (Luke 23:24), will also forgive those of us who know exactly what we do and just can’t seem to stop (see Rom. 3:23).

Brad said to the returned missionary, “Christ commanded us to forgive others 70 times 7 times (see Matt. 18:22). And we don’t think He is going to forgive us more than once?”

The young man’s face began to show hints of a smile. “You’re saying there is still hope for me?”

“Now you are beginning to understand grace,” Brad said.

It is nice to know that no matter how many times i crash and burn, there will always be another bike waiting for me. Next time you have a spare minute or 26, wash the dishes, clean up after the kids and listen to this uplifting talk.





http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/archive/2007/pdf/BradWilcoxandWendeeWilcox-2007.pdf