Jesus Christ was not forced to perform the Atonement and offer his life as a ransom for many. Rather, through exact obedience, charity, love and humility, he perfectly aligned His will with the Fathers, thereby securing our salvation as well as our hope for the future. In order to qualify for the most precious gift, we too must follow in the footsteps of our sinless older brother and align our will with that of our Father in Heaven. Each child of God has the potential to take advantage of the Atonement and therefore partake in all that the Father has- but we will use our agency to get there. The Atonement will apply to each of us differently. Some may experience the healing of a broken heart, and wounded spirit, or a down trodden soul. Some may experience a "re-birth" so to speak from the shattering effects of sin. Some may experience the freedom and power of forgiving one who has wronged us. It matters not what our own personalized Gethsemane is. The path to salvation is sure. The steps to the application of the Atonement are the same.
We begin by humbling ourselves and putting full trust and confidence in our Lord, and Savior. For "surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." After our trust and faith is secure in Christ, we continually humble ourselves by sincerely repenting of our sins. Next is a period of refining and returning. We refine our souls and our hearts through diligent prayer and scripture study as we return back to God. We come to realize that though often he seemed far away, he has ever been there waiting with open arms for us to come unto him. In our darkest hour it has never been easier, or more appealing to turn away from our Savior, yet more imperative that we cling onto him. We each must make the choice to return to Christ and experience the arms of redeeming love. As we return and are refined, our testimonies grow and our faith begins to be unshaken in the Lord. We begin to see with new eyes, hear with new ears and feel with a new heart. Indeed the process of re-birth has begun. 
Jesus Christ had to make one choice before the act of the Atonement was complete. He had to choose to align his will with the fathers. Jesus Christ's choice was an infinite and eternal act of love. He willingly submitted all things to the Father, laying down His own life to do so. Christ died so that we all might live. As we turn our hearts to God and align our wills to His, the application of the atonement is complete. We feel the truthfulness and reality of the atonement. Truly, tis sweet to sing the matchless love. As we experience peace of conscious from whatever ails us, our hearts take courage as the spirit testifies to us the reality of a living Savior who makes salvation possible. Indeed, we travel through this life needing so desperately to rely on the purifying power of our Saviors' infinite atonement. It's what purifies , refines, and perfects us. It enables us to overcome any hardship or ailment. It allows us to stand clean and pure before the master. It provides a way to know our savior as we become more like him and experience more fully his endless love. Truly, he lives to grant us daily breath. he lives and we can conquer death. I know that my Redeemer lives.
Emmilie, thank you for this post. I sometimes don't appreciate Christ's agency for what it is worth. It isn't like Christ was forced to atone for our sins. He chose to do it because of love and because He trusted in the Plan. I often forget the power of that choice and the chance that I have to make choices every day, like the Savior, to either follow God and Christ or not to. The atonement is a gift without comprehensible value.
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