When people ask me about my favorite holiday, and I give the answer EASTER I am often given strange looks. I get remarks about how I love it because of all the candy (jelly beans or chocolate rabbits), or even that I have to be so wonderful for the Easter bunny. However, even though all of these reasons are wonderful it is not why I love Easter so much.
Easter is special to me because for me it has always been a time to reflect upon the life I live. Growing up in a home where my mother had been raised Catholic and then converted to Mormonism helped me even more to have that love for The Gospel and The life Christ lived. For me, if it weren't for Christ's atoning sacrifice and Him rising on the third day there would be absolutely nothin else. I love Easter in all because it shows with a sign of rebirth (being in the spring) that The Father truly cares about each of us. He allows us to attend church, and remember Him in all that we do.
In Louisiana I often remember how the time leading up to Easter is most precious to other churches. There are altars and masses given that allow the people of other faiths to reflect on the fact that He is there for each of us, and has a great devotion to care for us. He allows on this day to have a full reflection of who He is and in turn figure out who we are. The Lord has a desire to help each of us, and through this desire He has shown me personally that I am His daughter and I am He knows me by name. He has made me not only His hand maiden, but His elect daughter to serve Him in every possible way. He has given me much to be grateful for, and love and Honor Him in all that I do and say.
At times I often think back to my youth when I first got my patriarchal blessing and how I felt when I was told that the Atonement would become a meaningful part of my life. When this occured I did not fully understand what was meant by this. I thought that I would have some HUGE TRIAL that would nearly shorten my life, or I'd have some BIG DISEASE where I would have to struggle to stay strong with my health. However, NONE of this has happened to me. I went to college at Brigham Young Universtity-Idaho, and it was there I began to understand the truth behind all of it. It was hard being far away from family, and the place I had long called home, but I came to understand that I could have my family close no matter where I was. I learned that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we never need to feel alone or as though no one is out there rooting for us as we play the great game of life.
As I left college I learned that the Lord truly works in mysterious ways. My parents had moved from Louisiana to Utah thus making it possible for me to come and live with them. As I moved to Utah I realized I was leaving behind all that I knew thus far in my life. I was now to live somwhere that I knew absolutely no one, and be a child in my parent's home. In college I did have family close by (a grandmother in Idaho Falls) so it wasn't as foreign. Moving to Utah I began to search of what my point in life was. All of my friends from college were moving on in life and I felt like I was thrust into the world without a purpose. I began reading the Pearl of Great Price and the first part of the Old Testament so that I might more fully understand what the Lord asked of me. Soon, I decided I should talk to my Bishop where for the first time I really told someone outside my family (as far as the gospel goes) what my thoughts were. It was there I first began to realize my purpose. As I told Bishop about all the times I prayed about going on a mission and receiving the answer of no, and then I discussed that I knew I was almost done with school and I earnestly did not know my next journey to take. I told him of how when I prayed about going through the temple I didn't really receive an answer one way or another which really bothered me. Then, my Bishop looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Frances, you are ready to enter the temple. I want you to begin attending Temple Prep. Today." Temple Prep started that day and I went. I felt at peace and at home with my place in that class. I knew that the Answer received through my Bishop that day came straight from my Father in Heaven. for the next 2 months as I went to temple prep I earnestly prayed to know of the truth of what I was being taught.
I received my endowment on June 19, 2010 and it was on that day that I began to realize the sacrifice HE made for me. As the next few months and couple of years unfolded and friends were lost, and new journey's presented to me I have been able to see that even though parts of us die (or so we believe) He has given us a wonderful blessing. His atonement and resurrection has given me the strength to wake up in the morning and keep going. I know some of the greatest people now. I am so glad I have been blessed to have certain friends especially right now. Some of these friends I got to know in the most awkward of circumstances. Others, I have been intrigued with since the first day I saw them. But no matter the circumstance I am eternally grateful that I have them in my life!
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