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We love Easter as the most important celebration of the year because it is Jesus Christ’s atonement and resurrection that answers every uncertainty, loosens every bond and supplies every hope for our mortal experience. More people saw the resurrected Jesus than we sometimes realize, including John Murdock, an early convert to The Church of Jesus Christ in Kirtland. He described what Jesus looked like in detail and then said this, “It left on my mind the impression of love, for months, that I never felt before to that degree.”

You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the link below.

You can also listen to the podcast at any of the platforms listed below by searching for Meridian Magazine—Come Follow Me podcast.

Maurine and Scot Proctor have spent extensive time in the Holy Land, researching the life of Christ. They have taught the New Testament in the Institute program for many years and have written books and numerous articles on the life of the Savior.

Join our study group and let’s delve into the scriptures in a way that is inspiring, expanding and joyful.

Transcript

Maurine

Welcome to Meridian Magazine’s Come Follow Me Podcast and Happy Easter!  We are Scot and Maurine Proctor and we’re delighted to be with you again to talk about the most important of all commemorations in the world:  Easter.

Scot

We gave you an assignment in our last episode to share this Podcast with 3 family members or friends.  Many of you responded!  Thank you so much!  For those who did not take that opportunity, we encourage you to share the Podcast with 3 others this week.  Just tell them to come to:  ldsmag.com/podcast  Today’s Podcast will be the 15th episode in the New Testament series and anyone can go back and listen to all the previous episodes.

Maurine

As we begin talking about the most important events in human history:  The Atonement, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we feel to encourage you to watch the video that the 15 apostles made in Rome at the time of the temple dedication, as they each one took a part of the document, The Living Christ, and filmed them in that marvelous setting.  It is very moving, so much so, we will add the video to our Podcast notes so that you can come to it on Meridian and be edified by seeing these apostles testify so fervently of Jesus Christ.

Scot

Easter is, of course much more than the Easter bunny, chocolates, egg hunts and treats and gifts for the children.

First of all:  How do we determine when Easter is every year–because the date is always changing?  Most people don’t realize that in A.D. 325, at the Council of Nicea, Easter was established to be held on the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the Spring Equinox.  That traditional has held now for nearly 17 centuries.

Maurine

So, let’s put something in perspective.  In this Dispensation—the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times, it has been about 2 centuries since the First Vision.  In many ways, that seems like a long, long time.

Now, at the time of Jesus’ mortal ministry, the people had been practicing the Law of Moses for 14 centuries!  And everything, every whit, every practice, every rite, every ritual, every jot, every tittle—all pointed to the Atonement, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And the faithful knew that!

We read that in the days of Alma and the four sons of Mosiah:

15 …they did keep the law of Moses; for it was expedient that they should keep the law of Moses as yet, for it was not all fulfilled.  But notwithstanding the law of Moses, they did look forward to the coming of Christ, considering that the law of Moses was a type of his coming, and believing that they must keep those outward performances until the time that he should be revealed unto them.

16  Now they did not suppose that salvation came by the law of Moses; but the law of Moses did serve to strengthen their faith in Christ; and thus they did retain a hope through faith, unto eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy, which spake of those things to come. (Alma 25: 15-16)

Scot

And, of course, Passover itself, at the time of the Exodus from Egypt was the archetype of the Atonement.  Do you remember what the children of Israel were to do that night?  They were to take the blood of a lamb without blemish—

“And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” (Exodus 12:7)

Can you picture this?  Stand in a doorway and spread your arms out perpendicular to your body.  The blood would be on the side posts where your hands touch them and also just above your head.  This was in a sign like the cross.

“And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12: 13)

So, those who followed this commandment would not be destroyed—the destroying angel would pass by them.  All of this pointed to the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Maurine

Those that faithfully lived the Law of Moses would have been given to see this type:

13 Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice, and then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and tittle and none shall have passed away.

14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal. (Alma 34: 13-14)

This Week of Easter

Scot

One way to focus on the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement the week of Easter is to spend time each day reading about the last week of Jesus’s life.  In the lesson materials a possible reading schedule has been outlined for each day.

Here are some of the questions you could ask while you are daily preparing for Easter this week.  Remember: All these things are to help you bring Christ more to the center of your thinking:

What do you find in these chapters that helps you feel the Savior’s love?

What do you learn about His power to deliver you from sin and death?

What do you learn about enduring trials and overcoming weaknesses?

How are you exercising faith in His power of deliverance?

Maurine

You might also contemplate the following:

Do I really know and believe that if I draw near unto the Savior, He will draw near unto me?

Do I exercise faith on the merits and mercy of Him who is mighty to save?

How has the Savior blessed my life in this past year?

How does the sacrament each week help me reflect upon the Savior’s mission and draw closer to Him?

Am I living in a manner that invites the Spirit to be with me?

Do I reflect daily on the hand of the Lord in my life?

All of these questions and contemplations can help you as you look forward to Easter as individuals and families.

Scot

As noted in the lesson, you may want to read in the following order on the following days (we can discuss this as we go through the schedule):

This great scene is worthy of note and to always remember.  Here is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords entering the great city Jerusalem.  He is being celebrated as the Son of David—the Son of God and in reverence and celebration hundreds, if not thousands, are waving palm branches and strewing them in the street before Jesus who is humbly riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and saying:  Hosanna! (This means Save us; Help us; Rescue us) Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Blessed be the kingdom of our father David (this refers to the unified kingdom of Israel—no division among them), that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.” (See Mark 11:9,10) The palm branch is a symbol of victory, triumph, peace and eternal life.  How appropriate!  And when some Pharisees decried this show of adoration and praise and asked the Lord to tell them to stop, He said, “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”(Luke 19: 39,40)  Even the very rocks would sing praises to the King!  Would we also have sung praises to His name in this setting?  Would it also be appropriate this week of Easter to sing a hymn as a family, couple or individual to praise His name?  How about:  Hymn 72: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.  Remember that first verse:

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation!
Join the great throng, Psaltery, organ and song,
Sounding in glad adoration!

Maurine

What is the meaning of Jesus cleansing the temple?  Jesus is saying that no unclean thing can enter the presence of the Father and it is only through Him, Jesus Christ, and His atoning blood, that anyone can come back to be with the Father.  He is saying that we must also clean up our Temples, with His help—even our own bodies to be able to feel of His Spirit and partake of His Atonement.  He is saying that the Temple itself—the physical structure—is His holy house and no unclean thing can be there or else the Spirit will not be there—His presence will not be there.  He showed how far the people had come in rejecting the law and in changing His doctrines and teachings.  Do we need to also cleanse our own temples?  This question is worth pondering during this week of Easter.  Are there things we can do this very week to help cleanse our thoughts, our bodies, our lives to better receive Him?

Scot

If you look at Matthew, chapters 21 through 23 the Lord continues to teach the people in parables and He asks them some very telling questions.  One question you might review on this Tuesday before Easter is in Matthew 22:42:  “What think ye of Christ?  Whose son is he?”Discuss this in your home and in your hearts. As we were thinking about this question for this Podcast a beautiful song came to our minds that Paul Cardall wrote and composed.  It is written from the perspective of Mary talking of her baby Son and who he was.  Listen to this:

Here are the Lyrics of this beautiful song:

Son of God
Holy Christ
You’ve been born to us
this sacred night
in a cave in Bethlehem
rest your head in by hands

Son of God
Holy One
The Angel said
You’d be a Son
Who will save us from the fall
My baby boy will save us all.

Prophets said the world will hurt you
and bruise you,
sweet child,
sweet child,
God’s son.

You were born because you love us
You love us
You’ll save us from the Fall
You’ll heal us
And restore us
I’m not sure how?
I’m not sure now?

Lamb of God
First Born Son
Eternal Christ
Anointed One
From God’s presence you have come
To heal and rescue one by one

And no matter how they try to hurt you
and bruise you
I’m here.
I’m here
My son

You were born because you love us
You love us
You’ll save us from the Fall
You’ll heal us
And restore us
I’m not sure how?
I’m not sure now?

Son of God

This Man was indeed the Son of God!

Maurine

On Wednesday of Jesus’s last week, He continued to teach the people in parables and in very specific teachings about the destructions that would come upon the people if they did not repent.  Among those teachings He gave the Parable of the Ten Virgins.  This is important specifically for us as this was given again in our Dispensation through the Prophet Joseph Smith. It’s well for us to read over the four things we need to remember in our time about this parable. We are reading from the 45th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants, verses 56 and 57:

And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins.

[Now here are the four things]

For they that are wise (that’s 1) and have received the truth (that’s 2), and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide (that’s 3) and have not been deceived (that’s 4)—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.

Let us be wise.
Let us receive the truth.
Let us truly take the Holy Spirit for our guide.
And let us NOT be deceived.

What perfect counsel for us in our day and time and a perfect thing to ponder this week of Easter.

Scot

  • Thursday: The Passover and Christ’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26)

On Thursday, the Savior gathered his Twelve Apostles and surely other of His disciples, including women, to an upper room to keep the Passover Meal.  Understand that an upper room means this was in the upper part of the city of Jerusalem—a more affluent area—and we think this may have been the home of John Mark—the author of the Gospel of Mark.

We take our tour groups each spring to the Upper Room—which is located right over the traditional site of King David’s Tomb.  The room we visit dates to Medieval times—but may be in the vicinity of the original room.  Not far from here is another Upper Room which is revered by the Armenian Christians as the authentic site.

Most important, however, is the gathering of the Savior with His followers.  They kept the Passover Meal together.  This meal had been kept now for nearly 14 centuries, every year, by the faithful followers of the Law of Moses.  It consisted of these items:

Maurine

A Roasted Lamb Shankbone.  This commemorates the Paschal Lamb sacrifice made the night the ancient Hebrews fled Egypt.  It is called Zeroah—which can mean “outstretched arm.”  Some say this symbolized the outstretched arm of God.’  Jesus that very night was to become THE Lamb sacrificed from before the foundation of this world.

Scot

A Roasted Egg or baytsah.  This represents springtime or renewal and is where the tradition of eggs at Easter generally comes from.  Some say it was a symbol of the ancient Hebrews that the more the egg is roasted, the tougher it becomes. This egg was not shelled and is not eaten.  Jesus would be the Spring of renewal for all those who would turn to Him, follow Him and keep His commandments.

Maurine

The Maror or Bitter Herbs.  These herbs (often horseradish) will bring tears to the eyes and reminds the participant of the bitterness of their slavery in Egypt and, in a deeper sense, the bitterness of the bondage of sin.  Remember, Scot, doing that Seder meal together and you had a large portion of bitter herbs on your plate and you took the whole thing at once?  That was quite the experience.  And we remember that Jesus is the only one that can free us from the bitter bondage of sin.

Scot

The Charoset—which is the opposite of the bitter herbs.  Traditionally this was made of finely cut up apples, nuts, cinnamon and red wine and was to bring to remembrance the mortar used by the Hebrew slaves to make bricks.  Now, it would be the foundation of Jesus alone upon which we could build our house.

Maurine

The Karpas or green vegetables.  This was to symbolize the newness of Spring—some say this was to make the participant feel like royalty since so few then got green vegetables.  Jesus represented the New Law—the New Commandments—the newness of life.

The Chazeret (a second bitter herb) is eaten—again to remind them of the bitterness of bondage of any kind.  Again, Jesus alone can free us from the bondage of sin.

Scot

There is always a bowl of Salt Water on the table—reminding them of the tears and sweat of enslavement.  The Seder meal participant will dip his or her Karpas in the salt water through the meal.  John, who was there that night at the Last Supper, would later record:  “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21: 3,4)  Jesus, Himself, would wipe away all tears through His marvelous atoning sacrifice—that would begin later that very evening.

Maurine

Matzah or unleavened bread is a critical part of the meal.  There were always three pieces stacked and covered with a clean cloth.  Matzah represented both the bread the Hebrews took with them in a hurry as they were freed from the bondage of the Egyptians, AND because it contains no shortening or yeast of other enriching ingredients, it also reminded them of the bread of affliction and meager rations given to the Hebrews during their enslavement.  Jesus body, given in sacrifice, after a hasty trial, would be without sin (or leaven) and would free us from the bondage of sin.

Scot 

Lastly, the participant would drink four very small cups of wine or grape juice.  Some think these four glasses of wine were to bring to remembrance the four letters of the Tetragrammaton, the unspeakable Hebrew name of the Most High God.

Traditionally this would remind them of the four promises of redemption from Jehovah, who is this very Jesus Christ at the table on this night.  Here are the promises that are reviewed with the wine:

““I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians,

“I will rid you from their slavery,

“I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments,

“I will take you to me for a people . . .”

(See Exodus 6: 6,7)

Maurine

All these things were reviewed and reflected upon at that Last Supper.  This was a VERY Christ-centered meal.

And then Jesus instituted a new commandment that night, after the Passover Meal, that went way beyond this 14-centuries old Law of Moses:

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13: 34,35) Here would be the key for all people to recognize His disciples—by this love that they have one for another.  At the time of the Rome Temple dedication, Elder David A. Bednar said of this love:  “”Words are inadequate to describe the strength and the bond, the friendship, the reverence that we have among the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  It’s the strongest bond of brotherhood that I think … exists on the earth.”

Scot

Jesus also instituted the sacrament after the Passover Meal—which would be the great symbol of remembrance of the sacrifice He was about to perform.  He gave this tender promise to his disciples in that Upper Room about the sacrament:

“Behold, this is for you to do in remembrance of my body; for as oft as ye do this ye will remember this hour that I was with you.

“And as oft as ye do this ordinance, ye will remember me in this hour that I was with you and drank with you of this cup, even the last time in my ministry.”

(See JST Mark 14: 21, 24)

I love that promise and I often think about that during the sacrament—though I was not there with the Lord at that Last Supper—I still think about His teachings and His love that He gave to the Disciples that night on that sacred occasion.

Maurine

Later this very night, Jesus would go to the Garden of Gethsemane and there suffer beyond all comprehension for the sins of all men who would turn to Him. The 19th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants captures some of the Lord’s words about that night:

“Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.” (D&C 19: 18, 19)

We will discuss all of this in greater detail in Podcast 23 in June.

Scot

Jesus spent that Friday early in the morning in an illegal and hasty trial, being mocked, abused, scourged and beaten as He faced His false accusers and those who had been trying to get Him destroyed ever since the raising of Lazarus from the dead.  On this day would be His trial, His crucifixion and His burial.

As Pontius Pilate examined Jesus that day he said, “Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayst that I am a king.  To this end was I born, and for this cause came I unto the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.” (John 18: 37)

Maurine

Jesus was placed on the cross at the Third Hour (nine o’clock in the morning) and at the Sixth Hour (Noon) the skies grew dark and would continue that way for three hours.  At the Ninth Hour, just at the very moment faithful families all over Jerusalem were killing the Paschal Lamb, Jesus would give up the Ghost and die.  The Law has been fulfilled.  The Great and Last Sacrifice had been given. The Lamb of God was dead.

Christ’s body was laid in a tomb that belonged to one of His followers, Joseph of Arimathea.

Scot

Remember, the Jews counted days by using any portion of a day to count for one.  In other words, Jesus body was laid in the tomb on Friday afternoon (that’s one day), was in the tomb all day Saturday (that’s the Jewish Sabbath.  That’s two days) and also through into Sunday morning—the first day of the week (that’s 3 days).

During this time His body laid in the tomb, Jesus was in the Spirit World declaring redemption to them that slept in Him.

We read in Section 138 of the Doctrine and Covenants, verses 18 and 19:

18 While this vast multitude waited and conversed, rejoicing in the hour of their deliverance from the chains of death, the Son of God appeared, declaring liberty to the captives who had been faithful;

19 And there he preached to them the everlasting gospel, the doctrine of the resurrection and the redemption of mankind from the fall, and from individual sins on conditions of repentance.

This visit to the Spirit World reminds us that Jesus Christ’s mission is to bring redemption to all who will accept and follow Him and His commandments and ordinances.  He has not forgotten any—not one. This makes us so happy!

Maurine

The culmination of our celebration of Easter is the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Think of this:  In all the history of mankind to that point, no one had ever conquered death.  Now, Jesus Christ had become the “first fruits of them that slept.” (1 Corinthians 15: 20)  He forsook the tomb.  He triumphed over all things.  He had overcome death and Satan—He had overcome the world.

In our time He has said, “Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me.” (D&C 50: 41)  That last line “you are on them that my Father hath given me” harks back to His intercessory prayer He gave the night He went to the Garden of Gethsemane:

24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17: 24)

What a glorious day this was when Christ was risen from the dead.

Scot

No wonder we sing exultantly:

Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the vict’ry won, Alleluia!
Jesus’ agony is o’er, Alleluia!
Darkness veils the earth no more, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

(Sacred Hymns, 200)

That Alleluia means: Praise ye Jehovah!  And so we indeed sing praise to Him for this most glorious of all deeds: That He overcame death and sin, and He offers those same gifts to all of us as we turn to Him.

Witnesses of the Resurrected Christ  

Maurine

We might ask a question here:  Do we have sufficient witnesses of the Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ?

The first to witness the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ was Mary Magdalene. And “Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord.” (John 20: 18)

Scot

On that same day, two were walking on the road to Emmaus.  Jesus walked with them although at first He did not reveal Himself to them but He unfolded the scriptures to them and taught them of the full plan of salvation including His atonement, death and resurrection.  After He left, and they knew who it had been, they said, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24: 32)

Maurine

On that same day of His resurrection (which was Sunday)—Ten of the Apostles and other of the disciples, including women, met together behind closed doors and He appeared unto them.  They all became witnesses of the Risen Lord.

“And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.”  (Luke 24: 36)

Scot

A week later Jesus appeared to all 11 of the Apostles (and other disciples including women).  Here Thomas was able to see and touch the resurrected Lord and declare that He was indeed his Lord and his God. (see John 20: 26-29)

Maurine

“He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once,” recorded Paul, and a personal appearance to James and of course, Paul himself, became a witness of the resurrected Christ. (See 1 Corinthians 15: 5-8)

He appeared at the Sea of Galilee to seven of the apostles—you remember that tender scene when He asked, “Children, have ye any meat?” (See John 21: 4-14)

Scot

Jesus showed Himself to the Nephites at the temple in Bountiful and did many mighty and miraculous works for them.  There were 2,500 men, women and children there who became personal witnesses of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ that day.  (See 3 Nephi 17: 25)

Maurine

Because many people worked all through the night to tell the people that the Savior had come and visited them, a much larger crowd gathered at the temple in Bountiful that next morning and also became witnesses of the resurrected Jesus Christ.  This crowd could have numbered as much as 12 times that original group and may have been 30,000 men, women and children. (See 3 Nephi 19: 1-14)

Scot

But the witnesses do not stop there.  The resurrected Jesus Christ also appeared to the Lost Tribes of Israel. They all became witnesses of Him. We are promised that we will yet have their records. (See 3 Nephi 16: 1-3 and 2 Nephi 29:13)

Maurine

And in our day we have numerous eyewitnesses of the Risen Lord.

Joseph Smith became the first witness of the Risen Lord in the First Vision:

“When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith History 1: 17)

Scot

Joseph Smith and Sydney Rigdon recorded:

22 And now, 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!

23 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—

24 That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.

(D&C 76: 22-24)

Maurine

Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery also saw the resurrected Christ in the Kirtland Temple:

2 We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber.

3 His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:

4 I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father. (D&C 110: 2-4)

Scot

But the witnesses do no stop there. John Murdock, one of the early converts in Kirtland, recorded:

“During  the winter [1833] that I boarded with Bro. [Brother] Joseph, as just mentioned, we had a number of prayer meetings, in the prophet’s chamber, in which we obtained great blessings. In one of these meetings the prophet told us if we could humble ourselves before God, and exercise strong faith, we should see the face of the Lord. And about midday the visions of my mind were opened, and the eyes of my understanding were enlightened, and I saw the form of a man, most lovely, the visage of his face was sound and fair as the sun. His hair a bright silver grey, curled in most majestic form, His eyes a keen penetrating blue, and the skin of his neck a most beautiful white and he was covered from the neck to the feet with a loose garment, pure white, whiter than any garment I have ever before seen. His countenance was most penetrating, and yet most lovely. And while I was endeavoring to comprehend the whole personage from head to feet it slipped from me, and the vision was closed up. But it left on my mind the impression of love, for months, that I never felt before to that degree. ((John Murdock, autobiography and diary, 13, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah).

Maurine

Many others in the early days of the Church were witnesses of the resurrected Christ. But the witnesses do not stop there.

George Q. Cannon said in general conference:

“I know that God lives. I know that Jesus lives; for I have seen him…I testify to you of these things as one that knows—as one of the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ that can bear witness to you today in the presence of the Lord that He lives and that He will live, and will come to reign on the earth…” (Oct. 6, 1896, DW 53:610)

Scot

At the funeral of Elder Richard G. Scott, Elder D. Todd Christofferson said this:

“That word ‘know’ is a very important word for those 15 men who are apostles—the sacred experiences and the confirmation [of the] certainty that our Father in Heaven lives and that His Son, Jesus Christ is our Savior; not a hope, not a belief, not a wish, but an absolute, confirmed certainly. Our Father in Heaven is real. His Son, Jesus Christ, is real. I know the Savior.”

Maurine

President Henry B. Eyring also gave his witness:

“I am a witness of the Resurrection of the Lord as surely as if I had been there in the evening with the two disciples in the house on Emmaus road. I know that He lives as surely as did Joseph Smith when he saw the Father and the Son in the light of a brilliant morning in a grove of trees in Palmyra.”

And the witnesses of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ go on and on. Do we have sufficient witnesses of Him?  A resounding YES!

Scot

Happy Easter.  May you be blessed as individuals and families to grow closer to Him who is the Living Christ.

Thanks for joining us.  Thanks to Paul Cardall for the beautiful music that opened and closes this Podcast and that beautiful number in between.

Maurine

Next week’s lesson is “What Shall I Do to Inherit Eternal Life?” and covers Matthew Chapter 18 and Luke Chapter 10.  Thanks for carrying out your assignment this week to share this Podcast with three others.  Tell them to go to ldsmag.com/podcast.

See you next time.