Easter Tidings

I love the testimony of our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. He said, "I believe that none of us can conceive the full import of what Christ did for us in Gethsemane, but I am grateful every day of my life for His atoning sacrifice in our behalf. At the last moment, He could have turned back. But He did not. He passed beneath all things that He might save all things. In doing so, He gave us life beyond this mortal existence. He reclaimed us from the Fall of Adam. To the depths of my very soul, I am grateful to Him. He taught us how to live. He taught us how to die. He secured our salvation." (At Parting, Apr. 2011 General Conference). I echo President Monson's declaration.

His Sacred Name - An Easter Declaration (3 min. video)'In our hour of deepest sorrow, we can receive profound peace from the words of the angel that first Easter morning. "He is not here, for he is risen."'

I believe the words of Emily Harris in her poem, "Empty Linen," (New Era, Apr. 2011, 49.) describe for me the joy and peace brought by Jesus Christ's Atonement and Resurrection.

"The linen which once held Him is empty.

It lies there,

Fresh and white and clean.

The door stands opened.

The stone is rolled away,

And I can almost hear the angels singing His praises.

Linen cannot hold Him.

Stone cannot hold Him.

The words echo through the empty limestone chamber,

“He is not here.”

The linen which once held Him is now empty.

It lies there,

Fresh and white and clean

And oh, hallelujah, it is empty.1"

I know that because He lives, we too shall live. Every sorrow and every disappointment will be made up, and we can have eternal happiness "through the great Mediator of all men" (2 Nephi 2:27). As we choose to follow Jesus Christ, we can have peace, comfort and joy during our time in mortality. We can have the assurance that He loves us, and He will help us.

Happy Easter to all, with love. For life is truly happy because of Christ's Love.

He Lives! - easter.imamormon.org

An Apostles Easter Thoughts on Christ(4 min. video) - "One of the great consolations of this Easter season, is that because Jesus walked such a long lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so."