Push-ups and sugar cookies

You might think the title contradicts itself. Or maybe you think like me and say, “If I do ten push-ups I can have 2 cookies!” Alright, maybe add like a one to the front of that number and I’m being more honest! But in all seriousness. What do push-ups have to do with sugar cookies? It has EVERYTHING to do with sugar cookies!

Tonight I taught part of the lesson at institute, and I was given the lesson on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I had prepared for two weeks for this lesson, and when I got there  I realized I had forgotten the lesson plan at home. So I went ahead with my back up plan. The parable of the push-ups and the sugar cookies. I read a talk like this on my mission, but replace the  sugary snack with donuts. I was amazed at the spirit I felt when I first heard this talk, and it completely changed my attitude about the atonement. So I had the class “act” out the talk. Some had heard of it, others not so much! It was the perfect set up!

I started out by pinning a picture of myself to the front of the board. We talked about the natural man who is in all of us. I had members of the class come in and poke a hole through the picture. Each hole symbolized some of the characteristics of the natural man we let out. Lying, cheating, procrastination, eating too much, sleeping too much, the list went on.  Then I invited the class once again to come back up and list ways we can overcome the natural man within all of us. Mosiah 3:19 says, “For the natural man is an enemy to God…and will be forever and ever unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit…becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble patient, full of love…”

I asked the class to write things down that really mean the most to them. A few people wrote the same thing and I loved that! We walk through life thinking we are so different from others. That there is no possibly way that Susie Q understands how I feel when her life looks perfect. How wrong are we!! We all struggle, the situations may not be the same, but the principle can be!

I then asked the class again to come up and poke a hole in my picture, this time representing a trial they have gone through, or are going through. They didn’t have to share, and some didn’t. I love when people share though. It gives others a chance to love them more deeply, at least that’s the case for me.

Now onto the push-ups and the sugar cookies! I thought about changing the names, but it’s not like I’m telling their first names, address and SS numbers.

Darian came to the front, as he offered to do the push-ups for us. I walked over to Caitlyn and asked her if she wanted one of the delicious fall colored sugar cookies I had brought. She had been waiting for me to ask that, and happily said yes. I then asked Darian if he would do 10 push-ups so Caitlyn could have a cookie. Next was Stephen, he also said yes, and Darian dropped and did another 10. Their faces were shocked that he was doing push-ups for something so dumb as a sugar cookie. He finished the set of ten, bounced back up and I asked Erin if she wanted one. She politely declined, and I asked Darian if he would 10 push-ups so Erin could have the cookie she didn’t want. The class gasped and laughed! Why would you do push-ups for someone who doesn’t even want the gift, right? He did the ten and bounced up again. Shannon said she didn’t really want one, but accepted the cookie. Darian dropped and did 10, this time he stayed on his knees and didn’t get all the way back up. Hannah shyly said she didn’t want a cookie either, and I asked Darian once again if he would 10 push-ups so Hannah could have the cookie she didn’t want. His push-ups were becoming slower and slower. The class began to be a little rowdy, so I had them turn to Alma 7, and really focus on verses 11&12. Isaac was happy for his turn to get the cookie, and Darian did another 10. His breathing became more intense and loud. Sam accepted the cookie, as did Leah. Darian did 20 push-ups and started having to take breaks in between each push-up. Zach accepted the cookie, and this time I was standing right by Darian’s feet. Each push-up was slow and looked heavy. His arms were shaking, and his breathing continued to intense. He took a long pause between the last five for Zach. He sat up, gave me the thumbs up, and I asked David. Darian willingly went back to the push-up position and proceeded to do 10 for David. Without hesitation Darian struggled through his set for David and gave me another thumbs up. Each set was taking longer, and longer. And this point, Darian had completed 80 push-ups. Hayden was next. Darian and Hayden are brothers, and though he didn’t say it, you could feel the love and compassion he was feeling for his brother. He accepted the cookie, and Darian did 10 more push-ups. His arms practically buckled underneath him with every push-up. How he did it, I honestly don’t know. We were almost done, we had just 3 more people to get through. Nick, Michael and Kara all accepted the cookie. Nick tried to give Darian a break by taking his time on answering if he wanted a cookie, but we all knew that even if we gave him 5 minutes, or 20, he was still going to be in pain the next time he’d have to get down and do a push-up. The sweat was pouring off his face, his arms shook uncontrollably, his legs wobbled with every movement his body made. When the last person received their cookie, Darian laid on the ground, sat up and looked at me with tears in his eyes.

After doing all that was asked, after completing nearly 140 push-ups Darian sat up and sat in his seat. There was no benefit to him for doing this, besides being extremely ripped now. He didn’t get a cookie. He didn’t get to watch someone else do push-ups. He did what was asked, and he did it willingly. So it was with our Savior Jesus Christ. He didn’t understand what He was doing. He didn’t get a pat on the back from any of us, or a sugar cookie himself. He did it hoping that we would appreciate this gift. That we would use it. That’s how it is with the atonement. Christ has already paid the price. He’s already done the “push-ups” for us to receive the sugar cookie. The gift is right in front of us, that delicious fall colored cookie is sitting right in front of us. Do we use it? Or do we ignore it? Do we shove it to the side, and eat it later? Or do we appreciate the hard work, love, charity, and compassion that went into getting us this gift?

“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind…and he will take upon them their infirmities that his bowels may be filled with mercy according to the flesh, that he may know….how to succor his people according to their infirmities.”

It is one thing to know that Jesus Christ came to earth to die for us…But we also need to appreciate that the Lord desires, through His Atonement and by the power of the Holy Ghost, to live in us-not only to direct us but also to empower us.

If men come unto me I will make weak things become strong unto them. The Savior himself said and promised that He would never leave us. That He would be there through every trial and victory. It is up to us to invite him to every event. Not just when we are struggling, but the good ones too. He loves us. He loves you. I know that. I feel that with my whole heart. I dedicated a year and a half to telling people just that. God is aware of you and what you are going through. He loves us so much He gave us His perfect Son, someone who had done no wrong, to suffer, bleed and die for us. And for that I am eternally grateful.

At the very end, when all push-ups had been done, and almost all the cookies had been consumed, I picked up the photo of me with all the holes in it, and behind it I had taped a picture of Christ. Every hole on my picture, He also received. He feels it all. But it’s not two people having a pity party. It’s one person who struggles and another who is always there cheering us on, saying that He understands completely, but that we gotta keep fighting.

I love y’all. This gospel is true and I am blessed!!!