Sunday Thoughts

 Easter Sunday was a stressful but very satisfying day for me.  I had been asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting and following Sacrament Meeting I had to teach gospel doctrine.  Talk about a lot of pressure on me.  I'm not going to type my whole talk but I'll just put in a few excerpts from it.  

We celebrate Easter to remind us of what Christ did for us and then to feel gratitude.  I told them that I had seen an Easter video that after reciting meaningful verses of scripture, each participant held up a picture of a family member that had passed away - someone they longed to be reunited with.  The video impacted me deeply.  It made me think of Jeffrey, that we lost six years ago.  My heart suddenly longed to see him again, to hear him say, "hello Mother' and feel his arms around me.  

It made me think of that future day of our reunion and it deepened my appreciation for the Savior's wonderful gift.  

I also told the story of how Lynda Ann had saved my life.  You'll have to read the talk to find out how that fit in.  

I put together a list of things I take for granted, things I would not have if it were not for the Savior.

Because of Him, there are scriptures, apostles, prophets and revelations.  Death has no permanent sting.  We have agency, accountability, salvation, and exaltation.  We have the priesthood, patriarchal blessings that provide us healing, comfort, strength, guidance, and meaning in our lives.  

Because of Him there are stars in the sky, rain drops, rainbows and snowcapped mountains.  Because of Him our prayers go instantly to the throne of God no matter who we are, where we are, or how quietly those prayers are uttered.

Because of Him there is a sacred grove.  We have temples and we have hope, forgiveness and new beginnings.  Because of Him there is no end.

I ended by saying that t doesn't matter whether we journey to the holy lands to walk in our Savior's footsteps or follow them here at home.  What matters is we follow them.  

On this Easter Sunday the message from a thousand sermons can be summed up in this song,

"I know that my Redeemer Lives"

To all my posterity I testify that Jesus Is the Christ.  How great the love of our Heavenly Father has for us that He would send His only Begotten Son to suffer and die for the rest of His children.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  

Easter reminds us that we do not serve a God who is still in the tomb, we serve a God who the tomb could not hold.  The Savior is on the hillside watching over us.

We can find strength in times of trial and hardship by calling on the Lord.  He may not always immediately relieve our burdens like we want, but I know, He will strengthen us in our time of need.  He can make our burdens light and give us comfort through His Spirit and through may others that he puts into our lives.