Obituary, Visitation & Funeral Information

Obituary for Jack Stott Greaves
Jack Stott “Biker” Greaves
1933-2019
“MY LIFE HAS JUST BEGUN”

Jack Stott Greaves, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend slipped away quietly from this world on Monday morning, November 4, 2019 (age 86). Over the past few years Jack had suffered from some type of neurological disorder that doctors could neither name nor identify. Despite the fact that his heart and lungs still sustained him more than adequately, Jack lost the ability to walk, talk and care for himself in any way. It seemed he was trapped inside a body over which he had no control. Thankfully, he never appeared to be in any pain.

Jack was born on Saturday, February 18, 1933 in Manchester, England. He was the only child born to James Greaves and Ivy Faulkner Greaves. He spent a memorable childhood on Clovelly Avenue in Oldham, Lancashire in the home of his mother’s parents, Ernest and Harriet Kershaw Faulkner. The choice to leave their family home on Featherstall Road in Oldham and take up residence with his grandparents was the direct result of his mother’s poor health and the onset of World War II. It was during preparations to sandbag the home from an air raid during the war that young Jack lost two fingers on his left hand, his ring and index fingers. It wasn’t until many years later that one of his granddaughters observed that the surgeon had opted to sew his middle finger into the ring finger’s position, allowing him greater dexterity and functionality throughout his life.

Jack had only a grade school education because he joined the workforce in his young teen years as a confectioner’s apprentice to help with his family’s finances. Though his young adult years took him away from the bakery and into factory work, he was very proud of the fact that he baked and decorated his own wedding cake. In the summer of 1952 Jack attended Butlin’s Holiday Camp in North Wales where he met and pursued the lovely and vibrant, Eunice Taylor. They were married on August 7, 1954 in a Rhodes, Middleton chapel and had a fabulous reception at the Heaton Park Hotel. Soon after, Jack went to work for the local cigarette factory where Eunice was employed. He worked hard and supplemented his small wage by taking bets on the horse races. Yes, Jack was a bookie!

Jack and Eunice and their first two children, Susan (1955) and Malcolm (1959), lived in the home they had purchased at 19 Fox Street in Hollinwood, Oldham. When Malcolm was just a toddler, Eunice, who had been raised in the Methodist faith, began yearning to have their children attend Sunday school. She knew her prayers had been heard when two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints knocked on their door. Because Jack was not at home, an appointment was made for the following evening. When Eunice told Jack of the appointment, he told her he would be going out, but in the end, he stayed home, confident that no one would voluntarily come out, on foot, during the torrential downpour. The missionaries, of course, came. Jack had been christened in the Church of England but never regularly attended services, except when attendance was required to participate with a neighborhood soccer team that was sponsored by his local parrish. The missionaries delivered the first lesson that evening. During their lesson, Jack smoked the last two cigarettes he would ever smoke. That night or the following, Jack suddenly became very ill and began throwing up blood. He was admitted to a TB hospital, because his symptoms mimicked TB. He was hospitalized for three months. He passed his time pondering what the missionaries had taught him about the prophet, Joseph Smith, and his vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ. Jack practiced praying daily, all the while taking bets on the races to make a few shillings. Following his hospital discharge, the missionaries taught him a lesson every evening that week. On Saturday, he and Eunice were baptized. The following day at church, he was called and set apart as a stake missionary. Jack continued as an avid student of the gospel, taught by many apostles and other visiting general authorities. From the time of his conversion, until he could no longer speak, his lifelong mission was to introduce the gospel or teach it to every person with whom he crossed paths.

In 1961 Jack’s young family was sealed in the London, England Temple. Soon after, a longing for a better life in the United States began. The Horrocks family of Blackfoot, Idaho (parents of one of the young elders serving in Oldham) agreed to sponsor the family, a requirement for immigration at that time. Jack and Eunice sold almost everything, bid farewell to their families and bought passage on the SS Sylvania. They entered New York’s Harbor and were welcomed by Lady Liberty in March 1962. From there they journeyed by train to Idaho. With the help of the Horrocks family, Jack found work and a place for his family to call home.

From Idaho they moved to Hemet, California, which would be their home for many years. Without a high school diploma many avenues of employment were closed to Jack. He spent his days digging ditches and was often discouraged and homesick. In one diary entry he wrote that he wished they could be deported. His situation improved when he passed the GED exam and received his diploma. It was then that he entered the world of insurance sales, a pathway he stayed on throughout most of his life. As a side note here, we must add that sales jobs did not have the luxury of a regular salary so through the course of his life, Jack was always looking for other sources of income. He was easily persuaded by any good salesman to sign up under them to sell whatever they were selling. Other ventures included a crematory and a worm farm.

In August 1967 Jack passed his required examination and was sworn in as naturalized citizen of the United States. His wife followed suit in May 1968. David Austin Greaves was born to Jack and Eunice in 1969. Timothy Paul Martin (also born in 1969) did not join the family for almost another decade but when he did, he was quickly embraced as son and brother by his new family. Jack was well aware that mortality was designed to have difficult trials. Even knowing this, he and Eunice could not have been prepared when David was diagnosed with leukemia at a young age. They loyally lived in a recreational vehicle in the Loma Linda hospital parking lot for weeks while David underwent chemotherapy, spinal taps and sat on the brink of life.

Jack’s interests were broad and varied. In addition to his ongoing passion for understanding and teaching the word of God, he was always up to date on sports, politics, current events and almost anything that might come up in adult conversation. He could hold the attention of almost any audience and find common ground with nearly every person. In a crowd where he couldn’t draw someone in with a gospel discussion, he employed his seemingly endless reserve of jokes. He was through and through a people person and was often invited to be the master of ceremonies at events or fill the role of game maker at office, church, couple or neighborhood gatherings. His ability to have fun was contagious. Jack also had an uncanny capacity to recall pretty much anything he had ever deposited into his brain. It was a gift. On his 85th birthday, he could still list the names of all his grand and great grandchildren and say something about each one. He was extremely passionate about keeping in touch with those nearby, across the country and across the pond. In each instance, he chose the form of correspondence that best suited his purpose, be that the telephone, a letter and or a recorded cassette tape.

In addition to the love of playing soccer that he developed as a young man, Jack was a track and later a road cyclist. He loved his bike and all things biking. Hence his nickname, Biker. He and Eunice drove cross country on the Race Across America twice as team support. Watching the Tour de France was like a three-week party every July. In his early seventies he was still riding a racing bike with his feet strapped into the peddles. After a few nasty entanglements with the gravel roadside, he traded his racing bike for a spin class. Another thing that came with him from England was a love of the beach. Give the man a raft and a few waves and he could keep himself entertained all day.

It would be difficult to adequately recount their multiple decades in Hemet, California. So many homes, family adventures, jobs, friendships, callings, surgeries, disappointments and triumphs. He served as the Bishop of the Hemet 5th Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and while he surely enjoyed that service, his callings as a missionary or Sunday school teacher allowed him to do what he most loved, TEACH!

In the late 1980s Jack and Eunice left Hemet for a new adventure. Their move to St. George, Utah was filled with hope and promise. A new mortuary had sought him out and helped him relocate. Sadly, the ownership had some quick changes and his recruiter left the company leading to Jack also losing his position. He couldn’t find another full-time position, so he went back to sales, trying to work enough to meet his obligations. They were preparing to close on a home they had built when they learned the home had a construction lien that fell to them. Two mortgage payments and a minimal sales income ultimately led to their move to Iowa to join Don, Susan, and family. That was 1992. Imagine two 60-year-olds getting up every morning at 2 AM to deliver a van load of newspapers to stores, businesses and newspaper vending boxes. In late 1993, they moved to Layton, Utah with Don and Susan. Now retired from their paper route, Jack became a substitute teacher for high school seminaries traveling along the Wasatch front as needed.

In early 1995, a good friend from St. George approached them about caring for someone’s elderly family member who wanted to remain in her home. That is how their twenty years as residents of Vista Ridge began. When Eudora passed and the home was eventually prepared to be sold, one of their friends bought another house in the park just so they could rent it to Jack and Eunice. They were so loved. His unique talent for teaching the gospel was utilized and appreciated. Priesthood, Sunday school, study groups, firesides, seminary and many, many, many one on one and family lessons. Eunice compiled an entire book of thank you letters which he had received over the years from people whose lives were changed by his love of the scriptures. Eventually, that home was also sold, and they moved to another rental in the park. Because none of their children lived close by, their beautiful little Pomeranian, Benji, became their substitute. They loved that dog and mourned his eventual passing as they might have mourned the loss of a family member. His ashes have been saved these past years and now sit at Jack’s feet in his casket. After Benji’s passing they bought a second Pom and named him Benji also. Although he annoyed almost everyone, they loved him with their whole hearts. When Benji II passes, his ashes will be placed under the sod that covers Jack’s final resting place. This was his request.

Beginning in his late 70s, Jack became the primary caregiver for his sweet wife. He filled that role for many years. Surely, that took a greater toll on his overall health than we can fully understand. Life with a spouse suffering from dementia is physically demanding and emotionally exhausting. He added shopping, meal planning, cooking and banking as well as checking everything she did, to his own responsibilities. At that time, he was still working selling Medicare supplements to augment their small social security allotment. They stayed in St. George until Jack could no longer manage caring for himself and his bride 24/7. In June 2016, they moved North to Clinton, Utah where there was enough family to share the caregiver role.

Grandchildren who lived nearby rallied together and created a new living space that resembled the home they left behind. His gospel teaching, joke telling, TV muting, letter writing and schedule making continued for as long as he was able. We can only hope that what they gained in being surrounded by children, grandchildren and great grandchildren offset the loss they felt in leaving the comfort of their community in St. George.

Outside his wife, his family, his Benjis, his friends and of course, the Savior and His restored gospel, there were a few other loves in his life; namely, his scriptures, his briefcase, his Remington typewriter and the Post Office. Jack and the case which held his scriptures were virtually inseparable for life, at home and everywhere else. The only near second was his old Remington typewriter. The minute any letter came off its carriage, it was immediately placed in an envelope and driven to the nearest post office. I suppose he could not bear the thought of it not being immediately “on its way.” He could never really become attached to email. It was just too foreign to his process.

Jack Greaves was a great man. He was also a mere mortal, and as such, an imperfect man. Elder Holland once reminded, “Be kind regarding human frailty—Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with.” Like each of us, he depended on the grace of God and the gifts of repentance and forgiveness made possible by the infinite atonement of Jesus Christ. There is no doubt that Jack was valiant in his testimony of Jesus Christ. In the words of Paul, the apostle, he can now declare, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Jack is survived by Eunice Taylor Greaves, his devoted wife of 65 years. He is also survived by his four children and their spouses: Don and Susan Canova of Clinton, Utah; Malcolm and Melanie Greaves of Aubrey, Texas; David and Joydel Greaves of Layton, Utah and Paul and Eva Martin of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Also surviving are the following grandchildren and their spouses, Nathan and Joni Canova, Travis and Hayley Canova, Lindsay and Kyle Hamblin, McKenna and Gage Crabtree, Sierra and Mike Coombs, Janae and Dax LeBaron, Cassidy and Coleman Judd, Chelsea and Kyle Wall, Hayley and Taylor Jensen, Kalle and David Hawks, Kelcee Greaves, Jasmine Greaves, London Greaves, Raechel and Rusty Palmer, Hannah and Osman Martinez, Ezra Martin, Jacob Martin, Brigham Martin, Heber Martin and Elizabeth Martin. Jack and Eunice were blessed with 34 great grandchildren by the time of his passing, a 35th born just four days later and more coming soon.

A heartfelt thank you to the amazing nurses, CNAs and staff at Rocky Mountain Care Center in Clearfield for your love and care of Jack this past year. It warmed our hearts to see you not only attend to his every physical need but to watch you embrace him, kiss him and tell him how much you love him, daily.

A viewing and visitation will be held from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. on Friday, November 15, 2019 at the Clinton Utah North Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 1448 West 1800 North in Clinton, Utah. Funeral services will follow at the same location at 11 a.m. Interment will take place immediately following the service at the Clinton City Cemetery located at approximately 750 West 800 North in Clinton, Utah.

Please take a few minutes to add your thoughts or memories of Jack and to post any pictures you might have of him or with him. Thank you in advance.

Talk by Paul Martin
Funeral Service for my Dad - Jack Stott Greaves (February 18, 1933 - November 4, 2019)
November 15, 2019 Clinton, Utah

Rejoice in Christ
I rejoice in Christ that He delivered me from self-destruction by planting me in the Greaves home. This family rescued me. I surely would have had a head-on collision with a life of misery, had it not been for the Lord and his tender mercies - profoundly blessing me with you. Thank you for taking me in and loving me. I know I was headed to jail, or prison, or worse, had you not taken me in.

The three G's saved my life - the Good Shepherd, the Gospel, and the Greaves.

I was born out of wedlock. I had no brothers and sisters - it was just me, and my loving mother and grandmother (and plenty of babysitters). They did their best to raise me, and they were women of faith. But they had to earn a living, they both worked and couldn't give this boy the direction and time he needed. The Family Proclamation declares that "Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity." That is the best environment to raise healthy, productive children unto the Lord.

I was a mess. I got into plenty of trouble. That's usually what happens to unsupervised children. And my babysitters were pot-heads. By age 9 I had been a thief, a vandal (ramming shopping carts into parked cars and secretly throwing water balloons at the elderly), viewed pornography, and smoked pot.

In my second grade class there was a popular, fun, and friendly boy named David Greaves. We became good friends spending time at each other's homes. But David was nowhere to be found when third grade came. He now had leukemia and was undergoing painful procedures at the hospital.

I have a theory - David's leukemia brought me into the Greaves home. Because he had leukemia I would go visit him with my mother. Had it not been for David's sufferings my mother and grandmother may not have gotten to know David's parents.

Sufferings
Sometimes trials and suffering are for us, and sometimes it blesses others. Thank you David - you're suffering saved my life.

And here's what Dad taught about suffering as he looked to the footnotes and to the Joseph Smith translation of Hebrews 11:40
"God having provided some better things for them through their sufferings, for without suffering they could not be made perfect."

The Greaves
My mother had a couple of nervous breakdowns. On her second breakdown my grandmother asked the Greaves to take me in. At the time many families took in an Indian during the school year from the reservation - the Church's Lamanite Program. The Greaves were considering do that doing this. The timing was just right, and they decided to take me and instead.

I had been in a foster home or two before, and one of them was horrible. And like I said, my babysitters left a lot to be desired as well. But now, with the Greaves, it was heaven on earth. Instantly I had two parents, an older sister and two older brothers who loved me. I longed for that, it was so delicious! What a blessing! My parents, brothers, and sister were amazing in every way, and I wanted to be just like them.

And now I had the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. The missionaries were invited over to teach me. When Dad and the missionaries taught me the plan of salvation I knew it was true. When I learned where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going, I knew it was true. I had never before heard that we lived with God before we came to earth, and yet I knew better than I knew anything else that it was true.

Ezra Taft Benson taught that "Nothing is going to [surprise] us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar His face is to us." I am looking forward to that.

But I must prepare for that day. Today is the day to prepare to meet God. In Elder Lynn G. Robbins words, "You can't fatten the hog on the day of the show."

Example
Malcolm and Susan's missionary service and example gave me a desire to serve a mission, which blessed my life incredibly. Susan and Malcolm's desires to date members of the church and gave me desires to date members of the church. Susan and Malcolm's temple marriages gave me the desire to marry in the temple. And then Susan and Don's precious children started to come. Little Nathan, Travis, Lindsay, and McKenna gave this teenage boy a desire to have his own beautiful family one day. These feelings were solidified when I came home from my mission and saw Malcolm and Melanie with their growing family. This blessed my life.

Why did my Lutheran grandmother (Donna Martin) reach out to Jack and Eunice Greaves to ask them to care for me?

In her travels around the world with her sister (Aunt Shirley), one of their stops was to Temple square and the visitor center in Salt Lake City. My grandmother listened to the Mormon Tabernacle choir on Sunday mornings. She had a dentist who was a member of the church, Heber Dunn. And then she got to know the loving and wonderful Greaves family. These influences and good examples brought her to ask the Greaves to care for me.

Never underestimate the influence for good you can be in someone's life or by simply setting a good example.

Again, I am honored today to pay tribute to our father and to this incredible family. I am grateful to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for this wonderful gospel that has brought such joy and deliverance to me and to my own family.

Our father has gone to meet the Lord. Dad rejoiced in Christ and had a deep appreciation for his atoning sacrifice.

Regarding preparing to meet the Lord and the purpose of life, I specifically recalled our Dad teaching the following:

The Parable of the Ten Virgins
The parable of the ten virgins is all about preparing to meet the Lord, or the bridegroom.

Our Father highlighted Elder McConkie's teachings that this parable is not about “good and bad, not righteous and wicked, but wise and foolish. That is, all of them have accepted the invitation to meet the Bridegroom; all are members of the Church … but only five are valiant therein.”

In the parable, only those with oil in their lamps were able to enter the house of the bridegroom. Only they were prepared to meet the Lord.

Our father was sure to highlight "the oil-filled lamps are symbolic of the Holy Spirit which lights the way before the saints” (Elder McConkie).

The "game changer" is having the influence, companionship, comfort, and direction of the holy Spirit in our lives. That is what made all the difference between the wise and foolish virgins. That is what will make all the difference in our preparation to meet the Lord - having the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives everyday Will bring us joy.

Elder Bednar urged us to stop any activity that causes the Holy Spirit to depart.

The Purpose of Life
Abraham 3: 24-26
24 We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;

25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;

26 And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.

Death
In 2 Nephi 9 the prophet Jacob teaches us that "Death [passes] upon all men, to fulfill the merciful plan of the great Creator" (2 Nephi 9:6).

A sacred hymn teaches us "That death unlocks the passageway into eternity."

Upon the Cross of Calvary (hymn no. 184)

Upon the cross he meekly died
For all mankind to see
That death unlocks the passageway
Into eternity.
Upon the cross our Savior died,
But, dying, brought new birth
Through resurrection’s miracle
To all the sons of earth.

Elder Neal a Maxwell taught that because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, death is no longer a rigid exclamation point but a mere comma.

Elder Tad Callister has taught, "The Savior’s Atonement gives us life for death, “beauty for ashes,” healing for hurt, and perfection for weakness. [The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ] is heaven’s antidote to the obstacles and struggles of this world" (General Conference, April 2019).

We grieve losing Dad, but we can feel the love that Heavenly Father has for his children, and we can feel the peace found in Jesus Christ, and We can feel the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Our Savior lovingly said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give up to you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:26-27).

Heavenly Father prepared a glorious plan for his children - "the great plan of happiness," with Jesus Christ at the center. Father sent his Son to show us the way, to rescue us, and to give us happiness.

He Sent His Son (Children's Songbook, 34)
How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness?
He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness.

How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?
He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know.

How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?
He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.

What does the Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say?
Have faith, have hope, live like his Son, help others on their way.

What does he ask? Live like his Son.

Words: Mabel Jones Gabbott, 1910–2004
Music: Michael Finlinson Moody, b. 1941
© 1982 by Mabel Jones Gabbott and Michael Finlinson Moody. Arr. © 1989 IRI. This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use.

Charity Faileth Not
Jesus Christ taught us that everything fails, except for charity.

Moroni 7:46
"...charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail."

Memory fails, hearts fail, bodies fail, and people fail. Dads fail, moms fail, husbands, wives, children, loved ones, friends, members, leaders, institutions, and governments all have failings. Even faith and hope may fail.

Some of our failings need the precious blood of Jesus Christ to wash us clean and make us new again through the wondrous gift of repentance. And some of our failings failings may just need compassion from others, or at least tolerance.

We all mess up. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

There's only one thing that will never fail - the pure love of Jesus Christ. You can't go wrong with charity, it never fails!

Moroni 7:47-48
47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

Feeling like I was going way too long, this is where I stopped my remarks, and asked the congregation if I could give them a homework assignment in honor of Dad - to search and study 2 Nephi 9 in the next week or two.

2 Nephi 9
(Dad’s CA license plate on his Honda Accord, when I was a teenager)

Jacob explains that the Jews will be gathered in all their lands of promise—The Atonement ransoms man from the Fall—The bodies of the dead will come forth from the grave, and their spirits from hell and from paradise—They will be judged—The Atonement saves from death, hell, the devil, and endless torment—The righteous are to be saved in the kingdom of God—Penalties for sins are set forth—The Holy One of Israel is the keeper of the gate.

Alma 34: 8-10
(Brigham recalled that on one of Grandpa’s visits to AR, Grandpa told Brigham that this was his favorite scripture)

8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.

10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.

(The preface is excellent too):
Amulek testifies that the word is in Christ unto salvation—Unless an atonement is made, all mankind must perish—The whole law of Moses points toward the sacrifice of the Son of God—The eternal plan of redemption is based on faith and repentance—Pray for temporal and spiritual blessings—This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God—Work out your salvation with fear before God.

Love for Scripture
Dad had a rich and abiding love for the scriptures and for searching them. He taught how important it is for us to feast upon the words of Christ everyday and that doing so would surely bless our lives. I love the scriptures because my father gave me a love for the scriptures. I love my Savior because my father gave me a love and appreciation for my Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Book Of Mormon
President Ezra Taft Benson urged us to "make the study of the Book of Mormon a lifetime pursuit."

The Book of Mormon teaches us truth and bears testimony of Jesus Christ. "There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called “the words of life” (D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance."

Words According to the Lord’s Meaning
Dad also taught that words in the scriptures have meaning, and that it was very important to understand a scriptural word according to God's definition, not man's.

So when I hear prophets and apostles define key principles or doctrine I listen up, because my father taught me to seek to know Heavenly Father's mind and will concerning the matter.

The Atonement Of Jesus Christ
Two and a half years ago three living apostles helped us to better understand the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Face to Face with President Eyring and Elder Holland
March 4, 2017, originating from Palmyra, New York

Youth Moderator: Here's a great question dealing with the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Julia in Utah asked, "What exactly is the Atonement of Jesus Christ? And how can I receive its blessings?" Another youth in Utah asked, "One thing I have always wondered and never been able to find my answer to is how do I access the Atonement? Is all I have to do is just ask God for the Atonement to take place in my life?"

President Eyring: There couldn't be a more important question. [The] first thing to do is to get a few facts straight. The Atonement was something Jesus Christ did. It's not a thing itself.

He atoned for our sins, and He paid the price to allow us to be forgiven and to be resurrected. So it's what He did that qualified Him to give us forgiveness, to change our hearts. And it's the Holy Ghost doing that. It's not the Atonement as if it's a thing itself. You with me?

The Atonement is something the Savior did. And the Father has given Him, because of that great sacrifice that He made for us, the power to forgive us. And so when you feel forgiveness, that's not the Atonement. That's the Savior giving you a feeling of forgiveness because of the Atonement.

Elder Holland: That's a very important distinction to make. It's very common for us to hear the Atonement talked about as an abstraction, as if it were free-standing out in the middle of the field. It's always an extension of the Savior. It's His act.

Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives
President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2017 General Conference

It is doctrinally incomplete to speak of the Lord’s atoning sacrifice by shortcut phrases, such as “the Atonement” or “the enabling power of the Atonement” or “applying the Atonement” or “being strengthened by the Atonement.” These expressions present a real risk of misdirecting faith by treating the event as if it had living existence and capabilities independent of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Under the Father’s great eternal plan, it is the Savior who suffered. It is the Savior who broke the bands of death. It is the Savior who paid the price for our sins and transgressions and blots them out on condition of our repentance. It is the Savior who delivers us from physical and spiritual death.

There is no amorphous entity called “the Atonement” upon which we may call for succor, healing, forgiveness, or power. Jesus Christ is the source. Sacred terms such as Atonement and Resurrection describe what the Savior did, according to the Father’s plan, so that we may live with hope in this life and gain eternal life in the world to come. The Savior’s atoning sacrifice—the central act of all human history—is best understood and appreciated when we expressly and clearly connect it to Him.

My Dad
I love the beautiful doctrines my father taught me. I love that he took time to teach me the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ! I will forever be in his debt. From Dad I learned (not a comprehensive list):

The Plan of Salvation with Christ at its center
The Premortal spirit world
The grand council in heaven and the gathering of great noble spirits - "Abraham, thou wast one of them" (and so were you)
This is a probationary state, a time to prepare to meet God
We are lost and fallen without Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice
Three Kingdoms of Glory - with Celestial glory being obtained by being "valiant in the testimony of Jesus"
Covenant keeping is all about receiving a place of inheritance in Heaven
I love my Savior because my father did
I love keeping the Sabbath because my father loved keeping it. It is a delight
I love the scriptures because my father did
I prefer wheat bread because my father did
I try to take care of my body because my father tried to take care of his
I love to care for my yard because my father did - Dad taught me how to mow, trim, sweep, and make the yard look great!

Again, I love and appreciate my Savior because my father did. I’m “all in” to the end! "Faith of [my father], holy faith, I will be true to thee 'til death!"

What’s your fondest memory of Jack?

What’s a lesson you learned from Jack?

Share a story where Jack's kindness touched your heart.

Describe a day with Jack you’ll never forget.

How did Jack make you smile?