Atonement is Foundation

Elder Cook shared several things he learned between the ages of 18-30 that continue to be meaningful to him today. The first was to focus on priorities. He used the example of a Peanuts comic, in which the character Lucy loses the baseball game for her team because she is distracted, to show that we need to keep our eye on the ball. So how do we do this?

1. Make sure our choices are consistent with our goals.

2. Be careful about wanting to do big, noticeable things.

3. Recognize that “there is no chance, no fate, no destiny that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”

The second is work towards something.“learn a lot of things; don’t limit yourself, but have goals” and work toward them. “If you do that, then you’ll always feel like you’re preparing to do your best.” - Elder Cook.

Third have a doctrinal foundation. The three realities—that Jesus is the Savior, that Joseph Smith is a true prophet, and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God—“ are the foundation of everything else you’ll do.”