My Reflection on Easter Week

As many have noticed this past week I have taken of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints magazine The Friend (a children's magazine). Why have I done this? Well, Easter just happens to be my favorite holiday, and when looking at The Friend that I received I noticed it had this and I decided that I wanted to blog about it. The Prophet and the Apostles have told us to use technology for good, and this is the best good I know.

So, why is Easter my favorite holiday? Well, I honestly believe that without Easter there would be nothing else. There would be no Christmas, we'd have nothing to live for in this life. We would not be saved from death and the bonds of temptation. There would be no point to living. I know that without Christmas there would be no Easter, but had the Lord not atoned for our sins, died to save us all, and resurrected so that we might live again with Him and the Father who is in Heaven then His birth would not have been such a significant part in the world. Learning everything that happened about Easter has helped me to appreciate all that the Savior has done for me, and also helped me understand that He has done it all for us. He loves us, our Father in Heaven loves us, and He has given His only begotten Son to us as a sacrifice. 1 Corinthinians 15:21-22, “For this by man [Adam] came death, by man [Jesus] came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Christ made it to where we do not have to suffer on our own. When a friend has 'betrayed' us, when we feel like no one in the world cares about what we are going through, when we have a hard time forgiving someone by the way they hurt us, and when we've lost a love one... we can Remember that Christ our Savior and Redeemer has suffered all these things for us, He loves us, and wants to help us. He is there and all we need to do is speak. It is said that He is standing at the door knocking, but He cannot be let in without you opening the door. Open the door and let Him into your life forever! 


I know that He lives, I know that He suffered for each of us. I know that His kingdom is on this earth today. I know that I am a member of His church. I know His prophet, Thomas S. Monson, is His mouthpiece for us to all the world today! I know the Book of Mormon to be true, and that it is another Testament that Jesus Christ lives. And I know that through Jospeh Smith His gospel was restored to all the earth. 


May God Bless each and every one of you on this blessed day! Find peace and happiness in all things through Him! And I bare this as my testimony in Him and all things that are good. In His name, even Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer. Amen.

HE IS RISEN!!!!!

Easter Sunday

Jesus was resurrected! He had risen from the tomb. An angel descended from heaven and rolled away the stone. Jesus told His disciples to teach and baptize others and promised to always be with them.
See Matthew 28.


What more can I say? Well, He rose and showed Himself to His disciples, but the story continues on today. As a resurrected being He visited the Americas and showed  Himself to all His people. And in 1820 A.D. Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father appeared to a young man of 14 years in a grove of trees. He was the first prophet of this dispensation of time. Christ can appear to His people today and He does help us through all things. Remember that He has risen for us, and we can be saved through Him by repentance.

Silent Saturday

Saturday

Jesus’s body lay in the tomb. A large stone was put in front of the door. The wicked priests asked Pilate to have guards stand outside the tomb to make sure no one went inside.
See Matthew 27:57–66.

So, what did happen on this day? Well, even though the Savior was in the tomb he did preach to the people in 'prison'. He always preached the gospel even during His death. So, Hi body lays in a tomb, but He is getting prepared to come again.

Last night the jews didn't want the bodies on the cross for the feast of the passover. However, Christ was already dead. So, they put a spear through His side, and blood & water streamed out. He sacrificed even after death for all of us. 

Calvary Friday

Friday

Jesus was taken to the high priest, Caiaphas. Jesus’s disciple Peter denied that he knew Him. Jesus was questioned by the governor, Pilate, and by the king, Herod. He was condemned to die on the cross. Jesus was crucified. A rich man named Joseph laid Jesus in his tomb. Jesus’s mother, Mary, and Mary Magdalene visited the tomb.

See Matthew 26:57–72; 27:1–2, 27–37; Luke 23:44–46, 50–56.

He was denied by His friends, taken to the High Priest, the governor, and then to the King. The peop
le wanted Him crucified. He died on the cross, and was crucified. His final words were "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." He forgave all even those that put Him to death. So, we must forgive all as well. May we remember to do this during Easter this year. For the sake of all mankind. Please visit the scriptures mentioned. They speak more than I can even think of speaking.  Watch the video below.

Passover/ Gethsemane Thursday

Thursday

Jesus’s disciples got ready for the Passover meal. During the meal, Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him. Then, to help them remember Him, He gave them the sacrament for the first time. Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to suffer for our sins and to pray to God. People came with swords and arrested Him. The disciples ran away in fear.
See Matthew 26:17–29, 36–56.


This is what we truly know as the most significant part of the Atonement. He bled from ever pore for us, and suffered so we would not have to. Doctrine & Covenants 19: 16 states, " For behold, I, God, have ^asuffered these things for all, that they might not ^bsuffer if they would ^crepent; " So the only thing we must do is repent of our sins so that we might not suffer as He has already suffered for us. I think Thursday is the day we begin to notice in some ways more, but that night was the beginning of the end of His suffering. Christ said, "Father, if thou be willing remove this cup from me. Not my will, but thine be done." Christ went ahead and suffered every pain we will ever and have ever suffered for us. He is my elder brother and my redeemer and savior.

Reading the Parables/telling stories.

Wednesday

The scriptures do not say what Jesus did on this day. He may have spent the day with His disciples. You could read the parable of the ten virgins, a story Jesus taught to His disciples to help them prepare for His Second Coming.

See Matthew 25:1–13.

The parable mentioned is actually one of my favorites. If you haven't read it you should. The ten virgins were all given oil and to always take care of it and let the light burn. However, as to not give away the ending you'll have to read for yourself. 

Matthew 25

Now, if you look at the scripture mentioned it's how the chief priests, scribes, elders, and high priests all plotted against Him. It was still the beginning of Judas Iscariot's betrayal.

Agreement Tuesday

Tuesday

Jesus taught people in the temple and on a nearby hill called the Mount of Olives.

The priests plotted to kill Jesus. One of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, agreed to turn Jesus over to the priests in exchange for 30 silver coins.

See Matthew 25:31–46; 26:14–16.

This part of the Week I believe to be very significant. Jesus is still doing His duty as a Son of God, and preaching righteousness to all that will listen, but then you have Judas Iscariot who has betrayed Him by agreeing to turn Him over to the priests for money.  I truly believe that He began to know our pains and sorrows at this point because He knew He had been betrayed. Many times we don't understand if someone realizes they are betraying us even for a small fortune or glory, but the reality is that if your friends are truly your friends you will stand by them no matter what. There comes a time in life when you start realizing what different things mean, and you know who you can trust or not trust. Christ forgave all even His enemies, but He never befriended them. I have learned that yes, it is important for us to forgive all mankind, but if you don't think you can be a friend to them you don't have to be. The key is forgiveness. Christ knew that Judas betrayed Him and yet He forgave Him. May we remember the power of forgiveness always in our lives.

Temple Monday

Monday

Jesus saw people buying and selling things in the temple. Because He wanted the temple to be a “house of prayer,” He made them leave. Then He healed people who were lame or blind. The jealous priests were angry with Him.
See Matthew 21:12–17; Mark 11:15–19

The Temple is a House of the Lord, a House of Prayer, and a House of peace. On all our temples around the world there are words at the top which read, House of the Lord; Holiness to the Lord. When people were buying and selling things in the temple it was a mockery to God. In the early days of the church before Joseph Smith was killed in Carthage they were commanded to build a temple in Nauvoo. When the saints left Nauvoo those who hated the church burned the temple, and thus it being desecrated the Lord put forth a tornado tumbling it to the ground. His temple was not the same any more. When I was in high school President Gordon B. Hinckley announced that the Nauvoo temple was to finally be rebuilt. It is one of my favorite temples! It not only has the spirit of the Saints that were driven out and all the hard work they put forth on the city on the river, but shows that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is His church and is here to stay. We are growing every day, and getting stronger with every passing day. I love the Lord, and all that He does for me, and I love that I can go to His House and learn of Him and what He wants me to do to not only help myself, but help others as well. May we always remember that the Lord's Houses are a place of peace... not a place of the world. We leave the world behind when we go inside! 


Now, for those of my friends who aren't members... this can also apply to you. When you go to church remember to leave the world behind. Remember that HE loves you and wants you to worship Him in all that you do, and also to remember Him always.

Palm Sunday

Sunday

Jesus walked from Bethany to Jerusalem. He rode into the city on a donkey, as a verse in the Old Testament said He would. People recognized Him as their King, shouting, “Hosanna,” and laying down palm leaves in front of the donkey to keep dust from getting on the Savior. Jesus visited the temple and then returned to Bethany.
See Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11.

As a young child growing up and passing by the catholic church on our way to our own church I would see Palms on Palm Sunday used for their service. My mom grew up as catholic so she sometimes would tell us of the significance these and other symbols had. The part that sticks out to me the most is that they used Palms to signify his greatness. He entered on a white ass (donkey) signifying his greatness and power. John 12 : 13-16 states, "

13Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

14And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

15Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy ^aKing cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt.

16These things ^aunderstood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him."

 For me all of this signifies how great He was and that He was/is the Master of all things. In school we were always taught about the Master Teacher and learned how to take lessons from him and use them in our own lessons or lives. 

Today at church we sang one of my favorite songs... 
LDS HYMNS #2
The Spirit of God
go here to listen 

One of my most favorite parts of this song is The chorus... We'll sing and we'll shout with the armies of heaven, Hosana, Hosana to God and the Lamb! Let Glory to them in the highest be given, Hence-forth and forever Amen and Amen.

He taught us how to live and how to be who we are. I thank Him for all that He does and I sing and shout unto Him HOSANA HOSANA TO GOD AND THE LAMB! 

May each of you find blessings this Palm Sunday and every one after. Especially this week of Easter as we Remember Him. 

The Saturday before Easter weekend.

 Now begins my journey on the Easter week...

Saturday

An important holiday called Passover was only six days away. Many people were coming to Jerusalem so they could offer sacrifices in the temple on that day. Jesus walked to Bethany, a village near Jerusalem. He would stay there for five nights with His friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. Mary anointed His feet with oil.
See John 12:1–3.


This story is one of my favorites in the scriptures because when you think about it it's not every day that someone has their feet anointed with oil. However, Mary took the time to anoint the Lord's feet with oil to show of her love for Him. It may help to think about why Mary, Martha, and Lazarus are so important during this time. Well, you may recall that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead proving that He could do all things by the power His Father gave Him. What does this show me? Well, This same Power is something my father, brothers, and best guy friends hold (they know who they are). It is called the Power of the Holy Priesthood. Lately, my oldest brother and I have been talking tons about the power that is in the priesthood. The most interesting aspect of the Priesthood is that it in some ways forces the men to serve. Christ was/is the ultimate symbol of service, love, and sacrifice. A young man who hold the Priesthood cannot give himself a blessing for the sick, or any other kind of blessing... as with any of the rest of us. In my church we have what we call consecrated oil. It is set aside for the healing of the sick and afflicted, and many Melchizedek Priesthood holders have this oil with them, but they cannot use it on themselves. Because a person cannot bless themself. If you think about it when you pray it is the Lord blessing you, not you blessing yourself. Even in other churches they have some of the significance of being "healed" by the power of some higher being. But they have to go to a priest or reverent. I'm proud that my brothers, my father, and my closest friends have this power from God. Throughout the years I have received many blessing given by them, but from God. So, I may not have been resurrected from the dead, but I have been strengthened from the blessing and healed of illnesses over the years. 

This is why I love the story of Lazarus it shows that Christ and God can overcome many things... and help others to overcome things too.  

Easter Preparation

So, over the next week... probably starting Saturday I will be posting things about what happened on that day that signifies Easter. Passover begins on Sundown Saturday so that will be my first topic. Also, Sunday is Palm Sunday so I'm pretty excited about that too. More to come later... Also, I'm going to try and get the house looking nice for Easter! :D And just a look into some of the pictures I will post in the upcoming week! :D I LOVE EASTER!!!!!

His Sacred Name - An Easter Declaration