The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality

“Most of us clearly understand that the Atonement is for sinners. I am not so sure, however, that we know and understand that the Atonement is also for saints—for good men and women who are obedient, worthy, and conscientious and who are striving to become better and serve more faithfully. We may mistakenly believe we must make the journey from good to better and become a saint all by ourselves. 

“The gospel of the Savior is not simply about avoiding bad in our lives; it also is essentially about doing and becoming good. And the Atonement provides help for us to overcome and avoid bad and to do and become good. 

“The enabling power of the Atonement of Christ strengthens us to do things we could never do on our own” (“The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality,” Ensign, Apr. 2012, David A. Bednar)