The Wounds That Heal My Own

By Elvin Mencía

Bicycle riding left me with one wound. Sin and neglect left me with wounds of another kind—a kind that can be healed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

When I was a teenager, a friend and I often compared scars. We were both very active young people, so we had quite a few wounds that had healed into scars. We had one in particular that was the same size and shape and in exactly the same place. Our matching scars were located on our left knees, and we had both acquired them while riding our bicycles.

One cool evening in July, this friend came to my home in Honduras accompanied by her sister and two young men who were representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The missionaries taught the gospel to my family and me, and we were baptized four weeks later.

After I found the gospel, I came to realize that all of us have spiritual wounds. They are caused, as our physical ones are, by neglect or as a result of violating safety standards—in this case, the commandments of God. They are wounds no cream or surgery can make better. Only the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ can heal us. Only our repentance and faith in Him can lessen our pain. He is the only physician who can give us peace.

Now when I look at my scars, I am reminded of other wounds—the wounds in the hands and feet and side of the Master. His wounds are the ones that can heal my own.

• Elvin Mencía is a full-time missionary in the Nicaragua Managua Mission.

Right: Photograph by Tamra H. Ratieta, posed by models; detail from The Christus, by Bertel Thorvaldsen