"Because of Jesus Christ. . ."

I reread the recent General Conference talk by Elder Dale G. Renlund yesterday, which is the title of my chapter this morning. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2026/04/46renlund?lang=eng. As I read his summary of all that Jesus Christ has done for us, I couldn’t help but insert my own name in place of the Savior’s. I recommend a similar exercise for each of us.

The Savior has provided the Atonement. It is comprehensive and in my case at least almost incomprehensible as I grow older and face the certainty of my not-too-distant personal meeting with Him someday. I will pour out my heart to Him in what will no doubt be an inadequate expression of gratitude. I wonder this morning if I will ever truly understand what “worlds without number” and inhabitants of the same look like. Mind boggling is all I can come up with.

Elder Renlund at the beginning said: “I cannot add more time to your days or eliminate the many concerns modern life brings. But I can offer this counsel: Not all matters are of equal value, and maintaining an eternal perspective helps us prioritize the things that are of greatest value. On this Easter Sunday, let us consider why focusing on Jesus Christ and the ‘infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice’ is of greatest value and helps us no matter how many other concerns we must manage. His life, His mission, and the fruits of His Atonement bless us infinitely and daily.” (Emphasis mine).

And there’s that word “infinite” again. I am daily reminded of the many matters that consume my attention, even at this late stage in my life. Yes, life is substantially simpler than it was many years ago, but now I am in the throes of seeking answers about my comparatively paltry estate plan that will hopefully benefit us all.

I ask myself, “Because of David Goates, my posterity will be blessed in the following ways…” and now I am leaving it in their hands to fill in the blanks that remain.

Then I wonder if I were to write my own obituary, what would I include? Would I give a stark and naked assessment, recounting all my shortcomings, sins of commission or omission, dredging up hopefully a detailed list of failings and oversights, stupid decisions, and all the rest that went with it? Would I attempt to blame others for my misfortunes?

Or would I rely upon the mercy and merits of my Savior and Redeemer to have forgiven me for all of it? These poor pages I have assembled for all of you will no doubt provide ample fodder for your own answers to the question I am posing for each of us this morning. As my Savior has forgiven me, I pray each of you may find evidence sufficient to also forgive me.

I wrote a private letter to Patsy in recent weeks, which I will not share here, in which I poured out my heart and soul to her as though she were still at my side here in mortality. From her lofty perch in the spirit world I am hoping she may know perfectly the thoughts and the intents of my heart as I finalize my estate plan for the future of this little cabin where I live on the Provo River. It’s all I have left to give, and I hope it may be accomplished in some semblance of an orderly transition to our next generations that will outlive both of us who created it.

I loved the way Elder Renlund expressed it: “Because of the merits, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ, we can return home to our Heavenly Father and live in His presence. This is only possible through Jesus Christ. The Savior Himself said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ Jesus, who leads us to salvation, has the power to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves because He completed His Atonement.” (ibid., emphasis mine).

My Eternal Companion Patsy

I am acutely aware these days of all the many things I cannot do for myself, and therefore more accurately aware of my dependency upon the Atonement than ever before in my existence. I only desire the realization of one permanent goal in my life at this point - to return to the loving arms of my Savior and my Father in Heaven with honor and with my discipleship in clear evidence. By extension, I hope those loving arms include my celestial companion Patsy. So what is my motivation about anything that remains in my life? I just stated it.

Moments ago I watched a hawk swoop down from a tall pine tree outside my office window. It snagged an unsuspecting pot gut in its talons and then flew off to devour its prey. I have pondered and wondered over a lifetime if pot guts can possibly have any useful purpose on this earth, and as I shot a few over the weekend it remains an open question for me. I have murdered my fair share over the years living where I do. The perils and realities of mortality are that there always seems to be a bigger predator to take us out at any moment in time. Who or what will finally take me out? I leave the speculations to all who wish to play from the “list of horribles.”

Elder Renlund continues: “Jesus Christ has infinite capacity to forgive, promising that ‘as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.’ Because of Jesus Christ, sins for which we have sincerely repented leave no spiritual scar, track, or trace. There is no scarlet letter to wear, now or in the eternities. When we repent with real intent, the entirety of our sin, not just a part, is figuratively nailed to the cross and we no longer bear its spiritual consequences. After we have repented, we owe no more to justice because Jesus has paid the debt; He pardons us from deserved punishment. We are forgiven, our hearts and hands are made clean, and the Lord remembers our sins no more. The Lord our God ‘is mighty; he will save, [and] he will rejoice over [us].’” (ibid., emphasis mine).

I have concluded along with Elder Renlund that even though the Atonement is infinite, it is also deeply personal to me. When I truly see my feeble part that I play in mortality, and can look objectively and not defensively deep within my own heart and soul, I feel to rejoice in my Savior’s offering of repentance. All other considerations pale in insignificance. Introspection is a divine gift of the spirit.

“Focusing on the Savior, His infinite Atonement, and what He has done for us will bring joy and clarity into our lives, no matter how many other concerns we have. This is why ancient and modern prophets have and always will direct us to Christ. You may remember that President Russell M. Nelson taught, ‘Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.’ And President Dallin H. Oaks, the Lord’s living prophet today, simply declared, ‘Jesus Christ is the way.’” (ibid.)

So here is my humble answer to my own question, “Because of David Goates, I was taught about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”

Now, please consider the answer to that question as you insert your own name into that sentence. What will your legacy be? I hope the answers will be as enlightening to you as they have been for me this morning.

How Do You "Outlive Your Funeral?"

Strange title, eh? Well, I will attempt an answer here today. It's Boxing Day today, much more widely observed in England than here in America. The day after Christmas settled upon me early this morning with the afterglow of a glorious celebration with family. Each year we gather for our Christmas "Adam" evening for dinner, a program, then the highlight everyone looks forward to - the opening of our new Christmas tee-shirts, a long-standing tradition among the Goates Kids. Each year one of the families accepts the assignment to come up with a new design, and this year the Warnicks knocked it out of the park with their design. Everyone loved them. Someone observed, "They sure are GREEN!"

The 2025 Gathering at the Ranch

Others scattered around the country also observed our tradition of opening the tee-shirts. It's always a unifying activity we all enjoy no matter where we are. 

Volume 6

We shared a program, and then I offered my testimony in conclusion. As I did so, I distributed Volume 6 of my collected family stories. I am currently working on Volume 7. Patsy joked one day following my brain surgery that those events in my life had taken 10 years off her life, but perhaps they had added 10 more to mine. It's now been 5 1/2 years since my surgery and at the time she passed away in 2023, I stated I would write the definitive 7 Volume set on our lives together for those who did not know her personally. I'm well on my way now to fulfilling that promise. Little did I know. . . and so I now live for its completion, and maybe a few extra volumes (time on this Earth still permitting). 

The Warnicks Design Team

Here's what I have learned as I have written our family's history. There always seems to be at least one more chapter that suggests itself as I am fed weekly questions by Story Worth that are submitted by various family members. Someone, observing this latest volume quipped, "Well, Dad, it looks like you've found another way to outlive your funeral with these volumes." And I thought later, he's right, I have indeed! Here's the thing: After I'm gone there won't be anyone left to refute whatever it is I have come up with as our family historian. I will have had the final word that will stand, flaws if there be any and all that goes with it. That's the value of a written record that will clearly outlive me now.

Team Venema 2025

I am so thrilled with 2025, because there have been many missionaries among my grandchildren who are coming and going all around the world right now. They have all had rich and fulfilling experiences, and they are so much further down the road of discipleship than my generation ever was. That's to be expected, I surmise, because we have been told this would be a day in which the weak things would come forth and prevail in the gathering of Israel.

26 And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying: Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;

27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. (Ether 12:26-27).

The brother of Jared also demonstrated his humility and his conviction that he would be made strong in service to the Lord:

2 O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires. (Ether 3:2).

The people of King Benjamin had a similar belief:

2 And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men. (Mosiah 4:2).

I have purposefully cited three references from the Book of Mormon to illustrate how precise the language of the prophets who compiled their record were in their testimonies of their need for their Savior in accomplishing all they did in His name. We are all enlisted in the ongoing work they started. Think of how patient our Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son Jesus Christ have been in the unfolding of the fulness of the gospel in these last days. We are the blessed recipients of their long-suffering and their perpetual surety of the work of salvation that is accelerating in our own time.

I find it difficult to believe in these enlightened last days that there are still some "out there" in the world who would deny our steadfast allegiance to the Restored Gospel through the Lord Jesus Christ. It was delivered to the Earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith and his inspired translation of the Book of Mormon, as cited above. For those who may at this late date be clinging to the old refrains of yesteryear that "Mormons are not Christians,” I would offer my testimony here on this page that we are indeed the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ with living prophets in place today. 

President Russell M. Nelson

I have treasured these words since President Russell M. Nelson first spoke them:

My dear brothers and sisters, in a coming day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth as the millennial Messiah. So today I call upon you to rededicate your lives to Jesus Christ. I call upon you to help gather scattered Israel and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord. I call upon you to talk of Christ, testify of Christ, have faith in Christ, and rejoice in Christ!

Come unto Christ and “offer your whole [soul]” to Him [Omni 1:26]. This is the secret to a life of joy!

The best is yet to come, my dear brothers and sisters, because the Savior is coming again! The best is yet to come because the Lord is hastening His work. The best is yet to come as we fully turn our hearts and our lives to Jesus Christ.

I bear my solemn witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I am His disciple. I am honored to be His servant. At His Second Coming, “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” That day will be filled with joy for the righteous!

Through the power of the sacred priesthood keys I hold, I declare this truth to you and to all the world! (“The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again,” Liahona, Nov. 2024, 122).

I am grateful to be alive as I look forward to the year 2026. With a prophetic promise that "the best is yet to come," who wouldn't be?

Perhaps I could offer one simple suggestion for your gospel study during the coming year. I have recently been re-reading The Infinite Atonement by Elder Tad R. Callister of the Seventy as I learned about his recent death. His words are inspired in every page, citing ample scriptural references throughout his chapters. I submit humbly that this book like few others will anchor your study of the "Come, Follow Me" curriculum in Sunday School as we now take up the Old Testament. 

May you each enjoy your anticipation of what comes next in 2026, I pray.