Final Reflection

This semester has been an eye-opening and uplifting experience for me. I have had so many wonderful times and met so many wonderful people at Brigham Young University, both inside and outside of class. I look forward to my Book of Mormon class next semester, where I will strive to learn as many important concepts and rediscover as many enlightening scriptures as I have in this class.

It is difficult to think of a single scripture that struck me most significantly this semester; there are certainly a number of verses that stick out in my mind. However, one passage whose message I believe to be beautifully written is 1 Nephi 21:16. This verse part of the Isaiah quotations in the Book of Mormon, and is therefore found in Isaiah 49:16, as well. It reads, “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” I love this scripture because it illustrates the Savior’s love for us so exquisitely. The marks in the Savior’s hands are there because He was willing to sacrifice Himself for us. Although each of us will take on our perfect forms on the day of resurrection, Christ’s scars will serve as eternal reminders of His great sacrifice and—more importantly—His abounding love for us.

To come to the realization that the Son of God has marks in His otherwise flawless hands for me is nearly overwhelming. I can think of no greater token of the Savior’s Atonement than those in his hands, feet, and side. It becomes even more personal when I realize that the Atonement was not just a sacrifice paid on behalf of everyone’s general sins. One of the most significant forms of love is time. My Savior spent time in the Garden of Gethsemane focusing specifically on my personal sins, concerns, sicknesses, heartaches, and doubts. The tokens in His hands are in there, in part, for me.

The second part of the verse, “thy walls are continually before me,” is a reminder that the Lord is constantly and acutely aware of each of our needs. No matter how others view our worries, the Savior never fails to let us know how important they are to Him. Although at times we fail to recognize His concern for us, we have so many resources to look to for reminders. Among those are the latter-day scriptures, the living prophet, our patriarchal blessings, and the uninterrupted opportunity for prayer.

While I could easily think of a dozen scriptures in the first half of the Book of Mormon that have influenced my life, I find 1 Nephi 21:16 to be a brilliant verse describing the Savior’s sacrifice for us. I think of the effects His life and death have had on people of the Book of Mormon—Alma the Younger, Zeezrom, and many others—and stand in awe at its life-changing power. Although I may not have seen an angel or been dramatically freed from the chains of sin, I know the power of the Atonement is real in my life, and I know that the Lord cares about me in a much more personal way than I can possibly comprehend.

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