To Ease the Aching Heart

President Lee

We have witnessed the long-hoped-for cessation of the bitter conflict in Southeast Asia, the longest war in American history. Our military men and those of other nations have returned home. Prisoners of war, after untold agonies in prison camps, are back with their families. The innocent victims of this cruel war of destruction are now in the ofttimes painful process of reestablishing themselves in some measure of stability and rehabilitation.

But in thousands of homes in this and other lands, there is and has been an inward battle in the souls of those who have lost members of their families—a husband, a brother, a sweetheart, a friend. What can we say to those who are yearning for an inward peace to quiet their fears, to ease the aching heart, to bring understanding, to look beyond the sordid trials of today and see a fruition of hopes and dreams in a world beyond mortality?

In a few words may I call attention to the promises in the scriptures and explain them briefly that in this message I might bring understanding, peace, and hope.

The Master indicated the source from which ultimate peace would come when he said to his disciples, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27.)

There were significant events following the resurrection of the Lord which give us a glimpse of the eternities that lie ahead. These events leading up to the resurrection are well documented in the scriptures. Here we read of the terrible night of the betrayal and the hasty and illegal proceedings which made mockery of justice. We, in our mind’s eye, witness the agonizing death of our Lord and Master on the cross. We are brought to a remembrance of the empty tomb in a garden near Calvary where a new sepulchre was available for his burial. Here we learn of the angelic guardians of the tomb and their glorious and triumphant announcement: “He is not here: for he is risen. …” (Matt. 28:6.)

Here was witnessed the Master’s first appearance with his resurrected body, a complete and perfected personage in every detail, as tangible and as real as they had known him in his mortal body.

But that was not all that happened on that morning of the first resurrection. In fulfillment of the promise of the Lord through the prophet who gave hope to the struggling band under the guidance of Moses, their prophet leader, the promise was made that after their trials and struggles in the wilderness, “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. …” (Isa. 26:19.)

The record of Matthew in the Bible gives us the further thrilling account of the fulfillment of that promise 800 years later. Here we read, “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” (Matt. 27:52–53.)

Think of that day, you who mourn the death of loved ones. The graves of your loved ones will be opened, and their bodies will likewise come forth and walk into the land of the living and will appear unto many. Also through the prophets of this American continent, we have recorded an explanation of the completeness of a resurrected body, when one of them declared, “… and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; … thus the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption.” (Alma 11:44–45.)

But now there is another glorious expectation even beyond the grave to those who have passed on. On the occasion of the incident at Jacob’s well when the Master and his disciples asked the woman at the well of Samaria for a drink of water from the deep well, the Master made a declaration to this woman and her friends, which opens a whole vision of that which lies beyond: “Verily, verily, I say unto you,” the Master foretold, “The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God,” and then, as though to avoid a possible misunderstanding of that statement, he repeated, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:25, 28–29.)

What a glorious expectation for those that have passed on to hear again the voice of the Son of God!

Time will permit but a brief reference to another significant event connected with the Savior’s resurrection. It will be remembered that his body lay in the tomb for three days before his resurrected body came forth. It will also be remembered that following his resurrection, the Savior tarried among his disciples for about forty days, eating with them, teaching them, and endowing them with the gift of the Holy Ghost.

He must have related to them what had transpired during those three days while his body lay in the tomb, for we find Peter, the chief apostle, in his epistles explaining that during the three days while his body lay in the tomb, “… but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient … in the days of Noah. …” (1 Pet. 3:18–19.) And then Peter recorded this most important explanation: “For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” (1 Pet. 4:6.)

Yes, we should mourn for the loss of them that die, but more especially for those that have no hope of that glorious resurrection. Then we hear these sobering and consoling assurances of the apostle Paul explaining that “as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:22.)

The ancient prophets of this western continent have clearly set forth in understandable language the obligation of each individual to obtain the highest of these eternal privileges in mortality and in the world to come, for here we find written: “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, … for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” (2 Ne. 25:23.)

In other words, each must do all he can to save himself from sin; then he may lay claim to the blessings of redemption by the Holy One of Israel, that all mankind may be saved by obedience to the law and ordinances of the gospel.

Jesus also atoned not only for Adam’s transgressions but for the sins of all mankind. But redemption from individual sins depends upon individual effort, with each being judged according to his or her works.

The scriptures make it clear that while a resurrection will come to all, only those who obey the Christ will receive the expanded blessing of eternal salvation. Speaking of Jesus, Paul explained to the Hebrews that “he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” (Heb. 5:9.)

Now because of that great day when the Holy One of Israel triumphed over death, we have unfolded to us the plan of redemption, available to everyone; we can shout in exaltation this Easter morn with the apostle Paul, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? … But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:55, 57.)

My humble prayer is that all men everywhere may understand more fully the significance of the atonement of the Savior of all mankind, who has given us the plan of salvation which will lead us into eternal life, where God and Christ dwell. For this I earnestly pray and bear my personal witness to these divine truths, in the sacred name of him who gave his life for such as you and me. Even so, Amen.

To Help a Loved One in Need

 Elder Richard G. Scott

It is Easter morning, that sacred season when the heart of each devout Christian turns in humble gratitude to our beloved Savior. It is a season that should bring peace and joy to all. Yet many of you have heavy hearts because a son or daughter, husband or wife, has turned from righteousness to pursue evil. My message is for you.

Your life is filled with anguish, pain, and, at times, despair. I will tell you how you can be comforted by the Lord.

First, you must recognize two foundation principles:

1. 1. While there are many things you can do to help a loved one in need, there are some things that must be done by the Lord.
   
2. 2. Also, no enduring improvement can occur without righteous exercise of agency. Do not attempt to override agency. The Lord himself would not do that. Forced obedience yields no blessings (see D&C 58:26–33).
   

I will suggest seven ways you can help.

First—Love without limitations. When in a dream Lehi partook of the fruit of the tree of life and was filled with joy, his first thought was to share it with each member of his family, including the disobedient (see 1 Ne. 8:3–4, 12–13).

Second—Do not condone the transgressions, but extend every hope and support to the transgressor. To his missionary son Corianton, who had violated the law of chastity, Alma said, “Behold, O my son, how great iniquity ye brought upon the Zoramites; for when they saw your conduct, they would not believe in my words” (Alma 39:11). Then he clarified in careful detail principles which his son had improperly used to justify his acts. Subsequently, that loving father gave this counsel:

“O, my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, … but do you let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility. …

“And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word with truth and soberness” (Alma 42:30–31). Corianton repented and became a powerful servant.

Third—Teach truth. Nephi taught his brothers: “Whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction” (1 Ne. 15:24).

Then he gave this example of how to teach: “I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things” (1 Ne. 15:25).

Fourth—Honestly forgive as often as is required. The Lord declared: “If he … repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also. …

“And as often as my people repent will I forgive them” (Mosiah 26:29–30).

Fifth—Pray trustingly. “The … fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).

The Master taught: “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you” (3 Ne. 18:20). “Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing” (D&C 19:38).

Sixth—Keep perspective. When you have done all that you can reasonably do, rest the burden in the hands of the Lord.

When I take a small pebble and place it directly in front of my eye, it takes on the appearance of a mighty boulder. It is all I can see. It becomes all-consuming—like the problems of a loved one that affect our lives every waking moment. When the things you realistically can do to help are done, leave the matter in the hands of the Lord and worry no more. Do not feel guilty because you cannot do more. Do not waste your energy on useless worry. The Lord will take the pebble that fills your vision and cast it down among the challenges you will face in your eternal progress. It will then be seen in perspective. In time, you will feel impressions and know how to give further help. You will find more peace and happiness, will not neglect others that need you, and will be able to give greater help because of that eternal perspective.

Abraham labored that his own father would overcome transgression. Despite his best efforts, his father turned to idolatry. Had Abraham let that proper concern for a father consume his every thought, he could not have received this promise: “In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed” (3 Ne. 20:25).

Some who have overcome serious sin in their own lives blame themselves because of that prior disobedience when a loved one does not respond as desired. Such promptings come from Satan, not from the Lord. Alma could help his son, Corianton, because Alma spoke from a position of strength, knowing that his own sins had been entirely forgiven through repentance.

This is not a doctrinal discourse; rather, it is a personal witness of what I know to be true. At times my wife, Jeanene, and I have had challenges that seemed more difficult than we could possibly face alone. Once she lost a baby girl and nearly her life. Within six weeks, another beloved son was taken home. We pled for help, and it came.

When other challenges have brought us to our knees, we have had confidence that we would receive comfort and guidance, and they came. The Lord opens doors of opportunity and provides the strength each of us needs at difficult times in our life.

This Easter, as we remember the Resurrection and the price paid and the gift given through the Atonement, let us ponder what the scriptures teach of those sacred events. Our personal witness of their reality will be strengthened. They must be more than principles we memorize. They must be woven into the very fiber of our being as a bulwark in time of need.

Nephi taught: “For ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (2 Ne. 31:19–20).

He could well have added, “and shall have peace and happiness now.” Happiness comes from understanding and living the teachings of the Lord. It comes from not being critical of ourselves when we don’t accomplish all we want to do.

One last suggestion—Never give up on a loved one, never! I know we have a loving Father in Heaven. He asks us to worship him that we may feel his love. He entreats us to love his Son that we may be comforted and strengthened.

Sometimes, we foolishly recite facts about the Father and the Son, mechanically, and—forgive us—preach to them, preen before them, and display our ignorance and pride. Yet they continue to love us perfectly, each one of us, individually. Yes, they are all-powerful and all-knowing; their works extend eternally, yet their love for each of us is personal, knowing, uncompromising, endless, perfect.

I know they live. I know that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. I love him with all my soul. He gave his life that we might overcome errors to live eternally. I don’t understand how he did it. In my own imperfect way, I try to imagine the incomprehensible burden he felt as he entered into the closing hours of his ministry on earth, knowing that his life had to be completely sinless, without error. He had to provide the perfect atonement for all mankind, each individual, without exception, or not one soul could ever return to the presence of God. He did it. He did it perfectly. Neither he nor his Father will ever fail us—never in all eternity. I bear that witness, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

You are His Hands

President Uchtdorf

A story is told that during the bombing of a city in World War II, a large statue of Jesus Christ was severely damaged. When the townspeople found the statue among the rubble, they mourned because it had been a beloved symbol of their faith and of God’s presence in their lives.

Experts were able to repair most of the statue, but its hands had been damaged so severely that they could not be restored. Some suggested that they hire a sculptor to make new hands, but others wanted to leave it as it was—a permanent reminder of the tragedy of war. Ultimately, the statue remained without hands. However, the people of the city added on the base of the statue of Jesus Christ a sign with these words: “You are my hands.”

We Are the Hands of Christ

There is a profound lesson in this story. When I think of the Savior, I often picture Him with hands outstretched, reaching out to comfort, heal, bless, and love. And He always talked with, never down to, people. He loved the humble and the meek and walked among them, ministering to them and offering hope and salvation.

That is what He did during His mortal life; it is what He would be doing if He were living among us today; and it is what we should be doing as His disciples and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

On this beautiful Easter morning, our thoughts and hearts are drawn to Him—the Hope of Israel and the Light of the World.

As we emulate His perfect example, our hands can become His hands; our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart.

Our Hands Can Embrace

I am deeply impressed by the way our Church members extend themselves to others. As we hear of your selfless sacrifice and overwhelming compassion, our hearts swell with gratitude and happiness. You are a shining light to the world, and you are known for your goodness and compassion all around the globe.

Unfortunately, from time to time we also hear of Church members who become discouraged and subsequently quit coming to and participating in our Church meetings because they think they don’t fit in.

When I was a young boy, during the aftermath of World War II, Germany was broken and in ruins. Many people were hungry, sick, and dying. I remember well the humanitarian shipments of food and clothing that came from the Church in Salt Lake City. To this day, I can still remember the smell of the clothing, and I can still taste the sweetness of the canned peaches.

There were some who joined the Church because of the goods they received at that time. Some members looked down on these new converts. They even called them an offensive name: Büchsen Mormonen, or “Canned-Food Mormons.” They resented these new members because they believed that once their temporal needs had been met, they would fall away.

While some did leave, many stayed—they came to church, tasted the sweetness of the gospel, and felt the tender embrace of caring brothers and sisters. They discovered “home.” And now, three and four generations later, many families trace their Church membership back to these converts.

I hope that we welcome and love all of God’s children, including those who might dress, look, speak, or just do things differently. It is not good to make others feel as though they are deficient. Let us lift those around us. Let us extend a welcoming hand. Let us bestow upon our brothers and sisters in the Church a special measure of humanity, compassion, and charity so that they feel, at long last, they have finally found home.

When we are tempted to judge, let us think of the Savior, who “loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. …

“[And] he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, … [for] all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.” ¹

 

As I read the scriptures, it appears that those who receive the Savior’s strongest reproach are often those who hold themselves in high esteem because of their wealth, influence, or perceived righteousness.

On one occasion the Savior taught a parable of two men who went into the temple to pray. One man, a respected Pharisee, prayed: “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”

The other man, a hated publican, stood “afar off, [and] would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

And Jesus said, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.” ²

 

In truth, we “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” ³ We are all in need of mercy. In that last day when we are called to the judgment bar of God, do we not hope that our many imperfections will be forgiven? Do we not yearn to feel the Savior’s embrace?

It seems only right and proper that we extend to others that which we so earnestly desire for ourselves.

I am not suggesting that we accept sin or overlook evil, in our personal life or in the world. Nevertheless, in our zeal, we sometimes confuse sin with sinner, and we condemn too quickly and with too little compassion. 

We know from modern revelation that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” ⁴ We cannot gauge the worth of another soul any more than we can measure the span of the universe. Every person we meet is a VIP to our Heavenly Father. Once we understand that, we can begin to understand how we should treat our fellowmen.

One woman who had been through years of trial and sorrow said through her tears, “I have come to realize that I am like an old 20-dollar bill—crumpled, torn, dirty, abused, and scarred. But I am still a 20-dollar bill. I am worth something. Even though I may not look like much and even though I have been battered and used, I am still worth the full 20 dollars.”

Our Hands Can Comfort

With this in mind, let our hearts and hands be stretched out in compassion toward others, for everyone is walking his or her own difficult path. As disciples of Jesus Christ, our Master, we are called to support and heal rather than condemn. We are commanded “to mourn with those that mourn” and “comfort those that stand in need of comfort.” ⁵

 

It is unworthy of us as Christians to think that those who suffer deserve their suffering. Easter Sunday is a good day to remember that our Savior willingly took upon Himself the pain and sickness and suffering of us all—even those of us who appear to deserve our suffering. ⁶

 

In the book of Proverbs we read that “a friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” ⁷ Let us love at all times. And let us especially be there for our brothers and sisters during times of adversity.

Our Hands Can Serve

An old Jewish legend tells of two brothers, Abram and Zimri, who owned a field and worked it together. They agreed to divide both the labor and the harvest equally. One night as the harvest came to a close, Zimri could not sleep, for it didn’t seem right that Abram, who had a wife and seven sons to feed, should receive only half of the harvest, while he, with only himself to support, had so much.

So Zimri dressed and quietly went into the field, where he took a third of his harvest and put it in his brother’s pile. He then returned to his bed, satisfied that he had done the right thing.

Meanwhile, Abram could not sleep either. He thought of his poor brother, Zimri, who was all alone and had no sons to help him with the work. It did not seem right that Zimri, who worked so hard by himself, should get only half of the harvest. Surely this was not pleasing to God. And so Abram quietly went to the fields, where he took a third of his harvest and placed it in the pile of his beloved brother.

The next morning, the brothers went to the field and were both astonished that the piles still looked to be the same size. That night both brothers slipped out of their houses to repeat their efforts of the previous night. But this time they discovered each other, and when they did, they wept and embraced. Neither could speak, for their hearts were overcome with love and gratitude. ⁸

 

This is the spirit of compassion: that we love others as ourselves, ⁹ seek their happiness, and do unto them as we hope they would do unto us. ¹⁰

True Love Requires Action

True love requires action. We can speak of love all day long—we can write notes or poems that proclaim it, sing songs that praise it, and preach sermons that encourage it—but until we manifest that love in action, our words are nothing but “sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” ¹¹

 

Christ did not just speak about love; He showed it each day of His life. He did not remove Himself from the crowd. Being amidst the people, Jesus reached out to the one. He rescued the lost. He didn’t just teach a class about reaching out in love and then delegate the actual work to others. He not only taught but also showed us how to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.” ¹²

Christ knows how to minister to others perfectly. When the Savior stretches out His hands, those He touches are uplifted and become greater, stronger, and better people as a result.

If we are His hands, should we not do the same?

We Can Love as He Does

The Savior revealed the perfect priorities for our lives, our homes, our wards, our communities, and our nations when He spoke of love as the great commandment upon which “hang all the law and the prophets.” ¹³ We can spend our days obsessing about the finest details of life, the law, and long lists of things to do; but should we neglect the great commandments, we are missing the point and we are clouds without water, drifting in the winds, and trees without fruit. ¹⁴

 

Without this love for God the Father and our fellowmen we are only the form of His Church—without the substance. What good is our teaching without love? What good is missionary, temple, or welfare work without love?

Love is what inspired our Heavenly Father to create our spirits; it is what led our Savior to the Garden of Gethsemane to make Himself a ransom for our sins. Love is the grand motive of the plan of salvation; it is the source of happiness, the ever-renewing spring of healing, the precious fountain of hope.

As we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful happens to us. Our own spirits become healed, more refined, and stronger. We become happier, more peaceful, and more receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.

With all my heart and soul I give thanks to our Heavenly Father for His love for us, for the gift of His Son, for the life and example of Jesus the Christ, and for His sinless and selfless sacrifice. I rejoice in the fact that Christ is not dead but risen from the grave! He lives and has returned to the earth to restore His authority and gospel to man. He has given us the perfect example of the kind of men and women we should be.

On this Easter Sunday, and every day, as we contemplate with reverence and awe how our Savior embraces us, comforts us, and heals us, let us commit to become His hands, that others through us may feel His loving embrace. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Tell Me the Stories of Jesus

  Elder Anderson

When you are assigned to speak at the end of the final session of general conference, you listen to every word, wondering which parts of your talk will be given before your turn comes. There are no assigned subjects, no collaboration of themes. The Lord’s way, of course, is always the best way. He takes the individual prayerful efforts of each speaker and orchestrates a spiritual symphony full of revelation and power. Repeated themes, principle building upon principle, prophetic warnings, uplifting promises—the divine harmony is a miracle! I testify that in this conference we have heard and felt the mind and will of the Lord.

President Thomas S. Monson has described the rising generation as “the very best ever” ¹ and has said to our youth: “You have come to this earth at a glorious time. The opportunities before you are nearly limitless.” ² But he also warned, “We have been placed on earth in troubled times.” ³ “It is a time of permissiveness, with society in general routinely disregarding and breaking the laws of God.” ⁴ We are surrounded by so much that is designed to divert our attention. “The adversary is using every means possible to ensnare us in his web of deceit.” ⁵

 

We hold in our arms the rising generation. They come to this earth with important responsibilities and great spiritual capacities. We cannot be casual in how we prepare them. Our challenge as parents and teachers is not to create a spiritual core in their souls but rather to fan the flame of their spiritual core already aglow with the fire of their premortal faith.

This afternoon I wish to emphasize the plea of a child from a Primary song:

Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear,

Things I would ask him to tell me if he were here. ⁶

 

In our world today, each child, each young man and young woman needs his or her own conversion to the truth. Each needs his or her own light, his or her own “steadfast and immovable” ⁷ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, independent of parents, youth leaders, and supportive friends.

The stories of Jesus can be like a rushing wind across the embers of faith in the hearts of our children. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” ⁸ The stories of Jesus shared over and over bring faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strength to the foundation of testimony. Can you think of a more valuable gift for our children?

Are the life and teachings of Jesus Christ embedded in the minds and souls of our children? Do they think about the Savior’s life when they wonder what to do in their own lives? This will be more and more important in the years ahead.

Have our children visualized the premortal council, ⁹ where Jesus—the greatest of all—declared, “Here am I, send me”? ¹⁰ Do they see their own willingness to serve as following His example?

Do they think about His humble birth, ¹¹ the Savior of the world lying in a manger? ¹² Do His circumstances help them better understand the proper place of material possessions?

Do they know that Jesus often taught, “Ask, and ye shall receive”? ¹³ Do His prayers of thankfulness ¹⁴ and His pleadings to His Father ¹⁵ flow through our children’s minds as they kneel in prayer with their own concerns?

Have we told them of the love Jesus has for children, how He held them in His arms, prayed for them, and wept? ¹⁶ Do our children know that Jesus stands ready “with open arms to receive [them]”? ¹⁷

 

Do they take strength in the stories of Jesus fasting ¹⁸ —as we teach them the law of the fast?

In their own loneliness, do our children know the loneliness the Savior felt as His friends deserted Him and as He asked His Apostles, “Will ye also go away?” ¹⁹

 

Have our children felt the power of the Savior’s miracles? Jesus healed the leper, ²⁰ gave sight to the blind. ²¹ He fed the 5,000, ²² calmed the sea, ²³ and raised Lazarus from the dead. ²⁴ Do our children believe that “it is by faith that miracles are wrought,” ²⁵ and do they pray for miracles in their own lives?

Have our children taken courage from the Savior’s words to the ruler of the synagogue: “Be not afraid, only believe”? ²⁶

Do our children know about His perfect life, ²⁷ His selfless ministry, His betrayal and cruel Crucifixion? ²⁸  

Have we testified to them of the certainty of His Resurrection, ²⁹ of His visit to the Nephites in the Americas, ³⁰ of His appearance to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove? ³¹

 

Do they anticipate His majestic return, when all will be made right and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ? ³²

 

Do our children say, “Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear”? ³³

 

To the youth and children: Live up to your important responsibilities and great spiritual capacities. Seek to know more about Jesus; open the scriptures. One idea would be to read again the book of John and then discuss it with your parents, teachers, and each other.

To fathers and mothers, to grandfathers and grandmothers, and to those without children of their own who lovingly nurture children and youth, my counsel is to speak more frequently about Jesus Christ. In His holy name is great spiritual power. “There [is] no other name given nor any other way … whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ.” ³⁴

 

To mothers who are raising their children without a father in the home, I promise you that as you speak of Jesus Christ, you will feel the power of heaven blessing you.

After her husband passed away, Sister Stella Oaks raised her three young children (including Elder Dallin H. Oaks ³⁵ ) as a single mother. She once said: “I was given to know that the Lord loved me and that I would be made equal to my mission. I felt an encircling love … [and knew] he [would sustain us] through the opposition that [would] arise.” ³⁶

 

I make a special appeal to fathers: Please be an important part of talking to your children about the Savior. They need the confirming expressions of your faith, along with those of their mother.

Although there may be times when a child does not listen with a believing heart, your testimony of Jesus will remain in his or her mind and soul. Do you remember the story of Alma, who had chosen the wrong path? Returning, he said:

“I remembered … my father [speaking] … concerning the coming of … Jesus Christ … to atone for the sins of the world.

“As my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me.” ³⁷

 

If a child is not listening, don’t despair. Time and truth are on your side. At the right moment, your words will return as if from heaven itself. Your testimony will never leave your children.

As you reverently speak about the Savior—in the car, on the bus, at the dinner table, as you kneel in prayer, during scripture study, or in late-night conversations—the Spirit of the Lord will accompany your words. ³⁸

As you do your best, the testimony of Jesus will gently distill upon your children’s hearts. They will go to their Heavenly Father in humble prayer and feel His influence through the power of the Holy Ghost. A stronger personal faith in Jesus Christ will prepare them for the challenges they will most surely face. ³⁹

 

I met Bill Forrest and Debbie Hutchings when we were students at Brigham Young University. Bill had returned from his mission. He and Debbie fell in love and were married in the Oakland California Temple. They established their home in Mesa, Arizona, and were blessed with five sons and two daughters. Bill and Debbie taught their children to love the Lord Jesus Christ as they loved Him. Their son, Elder Daniel Forrest, currently serving in the Mexico Oaxaca Mission, said, “Every morning without fail we were there at the table before school reading and discussing the scriptures.”

Their daughter Kara, now married with two children of her own, still vividly remembers her father driving her to early morning activities in high school. She said, “My dad enjoyed committing quotes, scriptures, and poems to memory, [and during those early morning drives] we would practice reciting them.” One of his favorite scriptures was “Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, … [he] shall have no power over you to drag you down … because of the rock upon which ye are built.” ⁴⁰

 

On the Friday before Easter Sunday in the year 2000, exactly 10 years ago, Bill Forrest was serving as bishop of the Estate Groves Ward in Arizona. On his drive to work, only a mile (1.6 km) from home, his car was struck by a large gravel truck. Debbie and the children left home shortly after Bill and unexpectedly came upon the tragic scene. Bill had not survived the accident. The immortal spirit of this beloved husband and father had suddenly been taken home to Him who overcame death, the Son of God, whose glorious Resurrection they were to have celebrated together that Easter Sunday.

How did Debbie and her seven children (the youngest only 5) find the strength they needed? Kara, 15 at the time of her father’s accident, recently told me: “I am grateful to my [mother and father] for the ways that they taught me [about the Savior]. They opened the scriptures with me, prayed with me, and were examples of [the Savior’s] charity, love, and patience. … Easter [is] a tender time in my life each year as I reflect on the life, mission, and Resurrection of our Savior and am reminded of the life of my earthly father.”

Elder Daniel Forrest said: “I was 10 years old when my father passed away. It was a tough time. … My mother has always been an example of the Savior’s teachings. I carry with me my father’s name badge from his mission to Spain. [Two] of my favorite quotes from my father [are]: ‘Two men can do anything as long as one of them is the Lord’ and ‘The Savior must be our foundation. Without that we flounder.’”

Faith in Jesus Christ has filled the hearts of the Forrest children. On this Easter weekend, 10 years since their father’s passing, they miss him deeply, but the sting of his death is “swallowed up in Christ.” ⁴¹ They know, because of the incalculable gift of the Savior, they can be with their earthly father and their Heavenly Father again.

Tell me the stories of Jesus.

In a moment we will hear from the prophet of God. In speaking of His prophet, the Lord said, “His word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth.” ⁴² I testify that President Thomas S. Monson is the Lord’s mouthpiece upon the earth.

I testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of all mankind. His life, His Atonement, His Resurrection, His awaited return are as sure and certain as the rising sun. His name be praised forever and ever. ⁴³ In the holy name of Jesus Christ, amen.

He Knows My Know

By Sherry Krull

In 2007 the University of Washington invited me to a banquet honoring its female athletes. I had played tennis at the university 44 years earlier, and my tennis partner and I had won the Northwest championship in doubles. At the banquet I would be recognized for my achievement.

On our way to the dinner, my husband and I picked up Lynda, a friend from our days as students. She was also the one who introduced me to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when I was 33. Together we enjoyed seeing our former campus and old friends.

However, when I went to pick up a packet and name tag prior to the banquet, I was disappointed to discover that printed on them was the name “Sharon Krull,” not Sherry Krull. “Oh, well,” I thought, and I crossed out Sharon and wrote Sherry instead. But the mistake continued through the night. Later in the evening, when the host introduced me as an award recipient, he called me “Sharon.” The plaque he handed me also included the error.

It wasn’t a huge problem; I was grateful to have been invited to the banquet, and the people in charge of the event promised to replace the plaque with one bearing the correct name.

The next day was Easter Sunday. My husband and I had spent Good Friday at the temple and had spent much time during the week pondering the Savior’s last days on earth. But the most powerful part of Easter that year came during sacrament meeting, when our bishop made this statement: “How grateful I am that the Lord knows my name.”

I felt a great joy come over me. As much as I had enjoyed the previous evening, the happiness I felt at this truth far outweighed anything I felt from receiving “the honors of men.”

I too am grateful that the Lord knows my name, but more important, I am glad that at age 33, I came to know His. I am eternally grateful that when two missionaries asked Lynda if she knew of anyone they might visit, she wasn’t afraid of offending me by giving them my name.

I came to know the reality of the Savior by reading the Book of Mormon, which testifies of Him. And as I came to know the Savior and joined His Church, I became a new person in Him.

My life changed then, at my baptism and confirmation, and it changed again that powerful Easter morning when I received the witness that Heavenly Father and the Savior really do know our names. I cannot fully express the joy that it is to know Heavenly Father and the Savior—and to know that They know me.

I am grateful that the Lord knows my name, but more important, I am glad I came to know His.

Two Voices at Easter

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By Sherwin Howard

Mary, Mother of Jesus: Good-bye at Golgotha

I’ve said good-bye a thousand times.

Each mother does,

Then, patient, praying, waits at home.

 

I said good-bye

When toddler’s feet first moved

Beyond safe whitewashed kitchen door

 

When youthful hands

Found Joseph’s dark oak bench and tools

To practice craft of carpenter,

 

When joyful boy discovered

God’s will writ bold in temple text

And heard bright angels’ promises.

 

I said good-bye

When John baptized him in the stream

And a lone white dove descended

As emblem of his Father’s love,

 

When faith turned water into wine

And every miracle in turn

Confirmed that he was God’s

Not mine.

 

I said good-bye

When neighbor’s stone turned sharp,

Ears closed against his tongue,

And mocking people drove him

From green Galilee.

 

And finally

Standing in the empty crowd

I saw stupidity not men

Pound spikes into his gentle hands

And cursing lift him up

To goad and mock out loud

Until I said good-bye a thousand times

And fresh salt tears poured down

To mark the ground that we were left upon.

 

Good-bye my son.

I will be lonely

But not alone.

Good-bye my son.

We’ll wait for you

At home.

Stephen, a Blind Child: Witness to the Resurrection

I will be twelve this year—

Of Levi’s tribe

And might have become a priest

Except I have been blind since three.

A childhood fever’s curse

Has made the scripture hard for me.

 

And so I was surprised

My mother often let me go alone

To hear Him preach outside the gate.

And though my stumbled path was often late,

 

I knew He let young children close

To learn the kingdom’s mysteries.

I treasured his soft words,

Not always understood

But warm like summer to my ears.

 

He taught the songs of faith

That sailors sang on storm-tossed Galilee,

And sometimes when he spoke of love

I almost thought that I could see

His face and glowing sun above—

Such are the dreams of children

Blind since three.

 

And then dark day in early spring

My mother said I must not go again—

The Romans had imprisoned him

As heretic, she said.

Tense worried tone

Confirmed God’s love

That I and others there

Had felt and known.

 

Two more nights passed

And then

Before our evening prayer

I felt the whole earth lift and fall

Rocks crying out in pain

As darkened pall slipped across the town

And mother held me comfort close,

Knowing that a god had died,

And seeing and blind eyes both cried.

But that was not the important part.

 

This morning while the last watch slept

I heard a sound

And rose to feel first cool hill winds

Whisper morning round my floor

And women’s voices hushed below,

Hurrying through still darkened street,

Speaking of angel and empty tomb.

 

And I thought I saw faint light

But with my real eyes this time—

A growing glow that conquered night

And filled my room

With visual hymn that angels sang

In wondrous unity.

Soft

Still growing like the dawn

Until all wind and earth joined song:

Al-le-lu-ia,

Christ is King!

Ears had dreamed such dream before

But blinded eyes had never seen

Heaven and earth combined in joy—

God’s witness for a blinded boy:

Alleluia,

My Lord is King!

Joy in Christ

President Benson

Without Christ there would be no Easter. Without Christ there can be no fulness of joy. In our premortal state, we shouted for joy as the plan of salvation was unfolded to our view. (See Job 38:7.)

It was there our elder brother Jesus, the firstborn in the spirit of our Father’s children, volunteered to redeem us from our sins. He became our foreordained Savior, the Lamb “slain from the foundation of the world.” (Moses 7:47.)

Thanks be to God the Son for the offering of Himself. And thanks be to God the Father that He sent Him. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” (John 3:16.)

Jesus was a God in the pre-earthly existence. Our Father in Heaven gave Him a name above all others—the Christ. We have a volume of scripture whose major mission is to convince the world that Jesus is the Christ. It is the Book of Mormon. It is another testament of Jesus Christ and “the most correct of any book on earth.” (Book of Mormon Introduction.)

In its pages we read that “there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.” (Mosiah 3:17.)

As far as man is concerned, we must build “upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ.” (Hel. 5:12.)

The first and great commandment is to love Him and His Father. (See Matt. 22:37–38.)

Jesus Christ is “the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning.” (Mosiah 3:8.)

“Wherefore,” declared Jacob in the Book of Mormon, “if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?” (Jacob 4:9.) God, the Creator, commands His creations even at this very moment.

Every prophet from the days of Adam knew of that first Easter and testified of the divine ministry of the mortal Messiah. Moses prophesied concerning the coming of the Messiah. (See Mosiah 13:33–35.)

“We knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming,” reported Jacob in the Book of Mormon. (Jacob 4:4.)

In that same volume of scripture is recorded the manifestation of the Christ in His spirit body to the brother of Jared. “This body, which ye now behold,” said the Lord, “is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh.” (Ether 3:16.) And so He did.

He was the Only Begotten Son of our Heavenly Father in the flesh—the only child whose mortal body was begotten by our Heavenly Father. His mortal mother, Mary, was called a virgin, both before and after she gave birth. (See 1 Ne. 11:20.)

And so the premortal God; the God of the whole earth; the Jehovah of the Old Testament; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the Lawgiver; the God of Israel; the promised Messiah was born a babe in Bethlehem.

King Benjamin prophesied of Christ’s advent and ministry in this manner:

“For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.

“And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell in the hearts of the children of men.

“And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.

“And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.” (Mosiah 3:5–8.)

The Lord testified, “I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross.” (3 Ne. 27:13–14.) And so He was.

In Gethsemane and on Calvary, He worked out the infinite and eternal Atonement. It was the greatest single act of love in recorded history. Then followed His death and resurrection.

Thus He became our Redeemer—redeeming all of us from physical death, and redeeming those of us from spiritual death who will obey the laws and ordinances of the gospel.

His resurrection is well attested in the Bible. The Book of Mormon records the resurrected Lord’s appearance on the American continent. To those people He said:

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. …

“Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.”

One by one, about 2,500 people “thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet.”

And they did “cry out with one accord, saying: Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.” (3 Ne. 11:10, 14–17.)

Today in Christ’s restored church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, He is revealing Himself and His will—from the first prophet of the Restoration, even Joseph Smith, to the present.

“And now,” said the Prophet Joseph, “after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

“For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father.” (D&C 76:22–23.)

And now, what must we do this Easter season—and always? Why, we must do the same as the Wise Men of old. They sought out the Christ and found Him. And so must we. Those who are wise still seek Him today.

“I would commend you,” urged Moroni, “to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written.” (Ether 12:41.) And God has provided the means—the holy scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon—that all who seek may know that Jesus is the Christ.

In his Lectures on Faith, the Prophet Joseph Smith listed six divine attributes of God that men must understand in order to have faith in Him. (See Lectures on Faith 3:41.) The Book of Mormon bears constant witness that Christ possesses all these attributes.

First, God is the Creator and upholder of all things. King Benjamin said, “He created all things, … he has all wisdom, and all power.” (Mosiah 4:9.)

Second, God is distinguished by the excellency of His character, His mercy, long-suffering, and goodness. Alma testified that Christ is “full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering.” (Alma 9:26.)

Third, God changes not. Mormon revealed that “God is not … a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity.” (Moro. 8:18.)

Fourth, God cannot lie. The brother of Jared declared, “Thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.” (Ether 3:12.)

Fifth, God is no respecter of persons. Mormon testified that “God is not a partial God.” (Moro. 8:18.)

Sixth, God is a God of love. Of this divine attribute Nephi wrote that the Lord “doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life.” (2 Ne. 26:24.)

The Book of Mormon was designed by Deity to bring men to Christ and to His church. Both we and our nonmember friends may know that the Book of Mormon is true by putting it to the divine test which Moroni proposed. (See Moro. 10:3–5.)

What a gift it would be to receive at Easter a greater knowledge of the Lord. What a gift it would be to share that knowledge with others.

To that end may I encourage you not only to read the biblical account of Christ’s resurrection, but to read and share with a nonmember acquaintance the Book of Mormon account of Christ’s personal manifestation to those in America following His resurrection.

Give them or lend them a copy of the Book of Mormon, even your own copy if necessary. It could bless them eternally.

In conclusion, in Book of Mormon language, we need to “believe in Christ and deny him not.” (2 Ne. 25:28.) We need to trust in Christ and not in the arm of flesh. (See 2 Ne. 4:34.) We need to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him.” (Moro. 10:32.) We need to come “with a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (3 Ne. 12:19), hungering and thirsting after righteousness (see 3 Ne. 12:6). We need to come “feasting upon the word of Christ” (2 Ne. 31:20), as we receive it through His scriptures, His anointed, and His Holy Spirit.

In short, we need to follow “the example of the Son of the living God” (2 Ne. 31:16) and be the “manner of men” He is (see 3 Ne. 27:27).

With Moroni, I testify that “the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled.” (Morm. 8:22.)

Not many years hence Christ will come again. He will come in power and might as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And ultimately every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ.

But I testify now that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith is His prophet, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and that His church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is true, and that Christ is at its helm.

I do so in the name of Him whose resurrection we honor this Easter season, even Jesus Christ, amen.