Ease the burdens

This past week my sister called me quite upset. When she was more calm she told me that my good friend from high school's little brother had died. There are speculations that it was a suicide and not just a drug over dose. This young boy had been involved in a car accident recently where the driver in the other car died. This young boy (19 yrs of age) carried the burden of the affects of that accident since the day it occurred. Being so weighed down with guilt could have led him to desire to leave this mortal existence.

This made me think another saving power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Even though our guilt or sin might be overwhelming, we can have the hope that the pain can be lifted as we repent. There is a scripture that I'm reminded of that speaks of how the Lord will ease our burdens: "And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions." (Mosiah 24:14) I know that to be true, burdens truly are lifted as we talk with our Heavenly Father through prayer and apply the grace of the Atonement in our lives.