“Many of our Savior’s miracles begin with His understanding and compassion. Our Savior knows our hearts and circumstances. He is filled with compassion for our hopes and hurts, our desires and needs.”¹

“In this world, amidst thorns and thistles, we eat bread by the sweat of our face, as did Adam and Eve. Moral agency comes with real choices. Spiritual growth comes from real challenges. But our Savior does not leave us to see only this world’s sticks and stones, the limits and scarcities. Our Savior blesses us with manna, daily bread, His sacramental promise that we might have life, hope, joy, and have them more abundantly”²

“Our Savior begins with compassion. He concludes with gracious kindness.”³

“To be worthy does not mean to be perfect. Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness invites us to be humbly at peace on our life’s journey to someday become perfected in Christ, not constantly worried, frustrated, or unhappy in our imperfections today. Remember, He knows all the things we don’t want anyone else to know about us—and loves us still.” ⁴

“When trust is betrayed, dreams shattered, hearts broken and broken again, when we want justice and need mercy, when our fists clench and our tears flow, when we need to know what to hold onto and what to let go of, we can always remember Him. Life is not as cruel as it can sometimes seem. His infinite compassion can help us find our way, truth, and life.

“When we remember His words and example, we will not give or take offense.”⁵

Together, our covenants and our Savior’s Atonement enable and ennoble. Together, they help us hold on and let go. Together, they sweeten, preserve, sanctify, redeem.⁶

“Understanding the Savior’s freely given atoning love can free us from self-imposed, incorrect, and unrealistic expectations of what perfection is. Such understanding allows us to let go of fears that we are imperfect—fears that we make mistakes, fears that we are not good enough, fears that we are a failure compared to others, fears that we are not doing enough to merit His love.

“The Savior’s freely given atoning love helps us become more forgiving and less judgmental of others and of ourselves. This love heals our relationships and gives us opportunities to love, understand, and serve as our Savior would.

“His atoning love changes our concept of perfection. We can put our trust in Him, diligently keep His commandments, and continue in the faith—even as we also feel greater humility, gratitude, and dependence on His merits, mercy, and grace.”⁷

1. Gerrit W. Gong, “And Jesus Said unto Them: I Am the Bread of Life,” LDS Broadcasts, Feb 17, 2017
2. Gerrit W. Gong, “And Jesus Said unto Them: I Am the Bread of Life,” LDS Broadcasts, Feb 17, 2017
3. Gerrit W. Gong, “And Jesus Said unto Them: I Am the Bread of Life,” LDS Broadcasts, Feb 17, 2017
4. Gerrit W. Gong, “Always Remember Him,” Ensign or Liahona, Apr 2016
5. Gerrit W. Gong, “Always Remember Him,” Ensign or Liahona, Apr 2016
6. Gerrit W. Gong, “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018
7. Gerrit W. Gong, “Becoming Perfect in Christ,” Ensign, Jul 2014