The LDS Daily WOOL Home Page
(3/24/97)
Of all the victories in human history, none is so great, none so universal in
its effect, none so everlasting in its consequences as the victory of the
crucified Lord who came forth in the Resurrection that first Easter morning. We
laud the captains and the kings, we praise the nations that are victorious
against oppressors. We appropriately build monuments to remember their
sacrifices and their triumphs over the forces of oppression. But great and
important as are these achievements, none can compare with the victory of the
lonely, pain-racked figure on Calvary's cross who triumphed over death and
brought the gift of eternal life to all mankind. — President Gordon B.
Hinckley, General Conference, April 1988
(3/25/97)
I am reminded that this is Easter. We celebrate today the glorious event, of the
resurrection of our Savior. About 1870 years ago this great event, which
confirms our hope of eternal life, took place. Our Redeemer was laid in a new
grave, and remained there until the third day after His crucifixion. He arose
and took upon Himself His body--the same body which had suffered upon the cross,
and which had been buried; and in that body he was seen again amongst His
followers. What a great event is the resurrection of Christ! He conquered death;
He demonstrated unto us that death should not forever reign; that though He,
Himself and all the seed of Adam should be subject to death, yet death should
not continue to have power over them. He overcame death. He broke its chains, He
took up His body again, and fulfilled the great mission for which He came here
upon the earth. What a glorious hope is given unto us through this event! —
President Anthon H. Lund, General Conference, April 1904
(3/26/97)
Happy is the person who has truly sensed the uplifting, transforming power that
comes from this nearness to the Savior, this kinship to the living Christ. I am
thankful that I know that Christ is my Redeemer. Easter is a sacred day, a day
of thanksgiving and divine worship. It is not a day just for rejoicing because
of the opening of springtime, not merely an opportunity to display beautiful
hats and fine clothing—it is an occasion for the expression of gratitude to
God for having sent his only begotten Son into the world, to be "the way,
the truth, the life," to declare the eternal truth that ". . .
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16.) When Christians throughout the world have this faith coursing in
their blood, when they feel a loyalty in their hearts to the resurrected Christ,
and to the principles connoted thereby, mankind will have taken the first great
step toward the perpetual peace for which we daily are praying. Reject him, and
the world will be filled with hatred and drenched in blood by recurring wars….
— David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals, p.48
(3/27/97)
In that first bright Easter morn, Peter and John ran with alarm to the empty
tomb, into which had been placed the lifeless body of the Savior Jesus Christ
just days before. Similar concern must have filled the mind of Mary Magdalene as
she gazed into the sepulcher now void of the body of the Master. Confusion and
dismay were not to last, however, as the Resurrected Lord made manifest to those
so dear to Him in life the reality of eternal life and the miracle of the
Resurrection. (See John 20.)
We now rejoice with all of faithful Christendom at the marvelous message of the
Resurrection. By virtue of His loving gift of life, each of us will rise from
the grave, body and spirit joined together inseparably throughout eternity.
We proclaim that the "bands of death" (Mosiah 15:8) have, in very
deed, been broken for the children of men. Each of us may lay aside all wonder,
all fear of the darkness of death and rejoice, "having a perfect brightness
of hope." (3 Nephi 31:20.)
We offer our solemn testimony that He lives; that the blessings of the
Resurrection will be realized for each of us. We join with you in an expression
of humble gratitude for His willing sacrifice and pray the blessings of heaven
will attend us all, as we commemorate at this Easter time the hope and eternal
promise of the Resurrection.
The First Presidency Easter Message — March 1997
(3/28/97)
In solemnity, and with understanding of the gravity of that which we say, we add
our witness to all the world of the reality of the Resurrection, that this same
Jesus who rose from the grave ascended into heaven. We declare that in this
dispensation of time He returned to restore to earth the pristine gospel which
He had taught while walking among men, that with that restoration has come
further certain witness of His reality, and has come also the holy priesthood,
given to men, which is exercised in His name. This is our testimony, which we
bear in the name of Jesus Christ, and we invite all men to hear and accept it.
— President Gordon B. Hinckley, General Conference, April 1989
(3/29/97)
Now may I close my message by bringing to the fore again, Jesus of Nazareth, who
as the resurrected Lord and Savior called Joseph Smith. Let us focus on a
particular part of the Atonement that makes the celebration of Easter possible.
A short while before Gethsemane and Calvary, Jesus prayed, "Now is my soul
troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour." Then, as
if in soliloquy, he said, "But for this cause came I unto this hour"
(John 12:27). The awful weight of the Atonement had begun to descend upon him.
We next find him in Gethsemane.
And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his
disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed,
and to be very heavy. [Mark 14:32-33]
The Greek for "very heavy" is "depressed, dejected, in
anguish." Just as the Psalmist had foreseen, the Savior was "full of
heaviness" (Psalms 69:20). The heavy weight of the sins of all mankind were
falling upon him.
He had been intellectually and otherwise prepared from ages past for this task.
He is the creator of this and other worlds. He knew the plan of salvation. He
knew this is what it would come to. But when it happened, it was so much worse
than even he had imagined!
Now, brothers and sisters, this was not theater; it was the real thing.
"And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if
it were possible, the hour might pass from him" (Mark 14:35). Only in the
Gospel of Mark do we get this next special pleading, "And he said, Abba,
Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me"
(Mark 14:36). When Jesus used the word "Abba," it was a most personal
and intimate familiar reference--the cry of a child in deepest distress for his
father to help him in the midst of this agony.
Did Jesus hope there might be, as with Abraham, a ram in the thicket? We do not
know, but the agony and the extremity were great. The sins and the grossness of
all mankind were falling upon someone who was perfectly sinless, perfectly
sensitive. This pleading to the Father included the doctrine he had taught in
his ministry as Jehovah to Abraham and Sarah. "Is anything too hard for the
Lord?" (Genesis 18:14). He had taught it in his mortal messiahship:
"All things are possible to him that believeth"(Mark 9:23). Hence,
this resounding plea. And then came that marvelous spiritual submissiveness:
"Nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt" (Mark 14:36).
Luke wrote that at a particular point, an angel appeared to strengthen him. I do
not know who that angel was, but what a great privilege to be at the side of the
Son of God as he worked out the Atonement for the whole human family!
Jesus bled at every pore, and the bleeding started in Gethsemane. He was
stretched to the limits. Later, when Jesus was on the cross, the Father, for
reasons that are not completely apparent, withdrew his immediate presence from
his son. The full weight fell upon him one last time, and there came the great
soul cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34).
Through that marvelous Prophet Joseph, in the book of Alma, we learned that
Jesus not only suffered for our sins, but, in order to perfect his capacity of
mercy and empathy, he also bore our sicknesses and infirmities that he might
know "according to the flesh" (see Alma 7:11-12) what we pass through
and thus become the perfect shepherd, which he is.
This is Jesus' church, and Joseph was his prophet, and all the prophecies
pertaining to his second coming will be fulfilled just as surely as all
pertaining to his birth and early ministry were fulfilled.
He is our Lord, he is our God, and the day will come, brothers and sisters, when
the veil will be stripped away, and you and I will see the incredible, spiritual
intimacy that prevails between the Lord and his servants. Moses in the Sinai
before the Exodus was on an exceedingly high mountain with Jesus--Jehovah. Not
many centuries later, on the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses was again with his
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Someday we will see the interlacings of the lives
of the Lord, his prophets, and our own. It is all part of Father in Heaven's
glorious and wondrous plan of salvation--about which we know so much that
matters through that remarkable Prophet Joseph Smith.
Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah! Praise to Jehovah for loving us and
leading us and atoning for us. Praise to God the Father. Whenever we learn
finally to love him, we must remember that he loved us first. Out of his love he
has given to us this remarkable plan of salvation.
May God send us on our way with hearts brimming with joy for what we know. May
we search the scriptures, follow their commandments, and rejoice in them. This
is my prayer for myself and for you on this Easter evening, in the name of Jesus
Christ. Amen. — Elder Neal A. Maxwell, A Choice Seer, BYU Fireside, 30 March
1986
(3/30/97)
And so, on this Easter Sabbath, we bear testimony of the Redeemer of the world,
He who was born the Only Begotten of the Father, He who went about doing good in
the exercise of His divine power, He who died on Calvary's hill, and He who rose
to become the first fruits of the Resurrection. We testify to the truth of the
words of the Apostles and other witnesses of old. We further confirm the truth
of the testimony of the great seer and revelator of this dispensation, the
Prophet Joseph Smith, who 150 years ago gave his life as a witness of the Risen
Redeemer. And by the power of the Holy Ghost, we give our personal testimony
that He who was slain on Calvary's hill rose from the dead, our Savior whose
sacrifice made possible the gift of eternal life to all who will keep His
commandments. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, amen. — President
Gordon B. Hinckley, General Conference, April 1994
Today is Easter--a day designated to solemnize the bodily resurrection of the Savior of the world. As members of His restored church, it is imperative that we do our utmost to expand our understanding of His premortal commission, His earthly ministry, His unjust crucifixion, the agony of His suffering, His final sacrifice, and His resurrection. Each of us is profoundly indebted to Him, for we were purchased by the shedding of His own precious blood. We are surely obligated to follow His admonition, to believe on His name, and to testify of Him and His word. — Elder David B. Haight, General Conference, April 1994
Our great, basic message to the world is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God; that he gave his life as a sacrifice for all mankind; that he rose from the grave that first Easter morning, "the firstfruits of them that slept" (I Cor. 15:20); that "as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (I Cor. 15:22); that he lives, our resurrected Lord and Master. — President Gordon B. Hinckley, General Conference, April 1984
(4/11/98)
"The Easter season is upon us, and followers of Jesus Christ everywhere are
turning their thoughts to the most significant event of recorded history. 'He is
risen; he is not here.' (Mark 16:6.) This simple pronouncement was the first
declaration of the literal resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The empty tomb that first Easter morning brought comforting assurance, an
affirmative answer to the ageless question raised by Job, 'If a man die, shall
he live again? (Job 14:14.)
As we join with all Christendom in commemorating this marvelous event, we
reflect on His incomparable life and teachings and the need for us to emulate
His example.
To follow the Savior, we must begin at home within the family unit. Parents need
to teach children the doctrine of Christ which includes unshaken faith in Him,
repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and faithfully enduring to the
end in living gospel principles in their homes.
In this sacred season of reflecting on the glorious life of the Lord, we urge
all people to embrace His teachings as a standard for personal conduct.
Our testimony to the world is that Jesus is the Christ; that He surrendered His
life as a sacrifice for all humankind; that He rose from the grave that first
Easter morning—'The firstfruits of them that slept' (1 Cor. 15:20); and that
He lives—our resurrected Lord and Master."—First Presidency Easter
Message, 4 April 1998
(4/2/99)
"I bear testimony and thank God for this Good Friday, tragic as are the
events which it commemorates, and for what it means to me and to all men, for
what it lays before men of a future, for this day had to happen in order that
Easter and its glorious events could come to pass." — Marion D. Hanks,
Conference Report, April 1969, p.25
(4/3/99)
"How do you think the spirit of the Savior spent the three days that
intervened between his crucifixion and his resurrection? Did he sit down in his
Father's kingdom and do nothing but slap his hands and sing praises? His Father
unfolded to him the world of spirits. He looked upon them and saw that they were
his lawful, legitimate brothers and sisters in the spirit, that they all
descended from the same Father, and he possessed the natural feeling of anxiety
to redeem his kindred from their situation. The Father commissioned him to
preach the gospel to them and show them the plan by which they could be brought
up in the resurrection and prepare themselves for higher glories. This is the
way that he spent the time, and this is the way that every person who holds the
priesthood will spend the time that intervenes between his death and his
resurrection." — Times and Seasons, Vol. 6, p. 919-920
(4/4/99)
"It is the anniversary of the greatest event in all history, the most
effective miracle known to man—a miracle surpassing all that the mind of man
could of itself conceive. It was upon the day we now commemorate that victory
over the tomb was proclaimed and the glad tidings of eternal life were made
known." — James E. Talmage, Conference Report, April 1912, p.124
(4/5/99)
"As we pay tribute to the Savior of the world on this Easter day and
express gratitude to him for his great atonement, we must remember, also, that
to be a true Christian means that we love Jesus Christ and that to love him
means to obey him." — Mark E. Petersen, Conference Report, April 1958, p.104
4/23/00)
"Of all the victories in human history, none is so great, none so universal
in its effect, none so everlasting in its consequences as the victory of the
crucified Lord, who came forth in the resurrection that first East morning.
"The empty tomb of that first Easter brought the most comforting assurance that can come into man's heart. This was the affirmative answer to the ageless question raised by Job, 'If a man die, shall he live again?' (Job 14:14). "'. . . (but) those that die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them' (Doctrine and Covenants 42:45-46).
"This is the promise of the risen Lord. This is the relevance of Jesus to a world in which all must die. As He is the conqueror of death, so also is He the Master of life.
"We solemnly witness of the reality of our Lord's life, death, and resurrection, and of the universal victory over the grave that will come to all mankind because of His mercy and grace." — The First Presidency, Easter 2000
(4/10/01)
"The miracle of that resurrection morning, that first Easter Sunday, is a
miracle for all mankind. It is the miracle of the power of God, whose Beloved
Son gave His life to atone for the sins of all, a sacrifice of love for every
son and daughter of God. In so doing He broke the seals of death." — Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Victory over
Death," Ensign, Apr. 1997, p. 4
(4/11/01)
"There is nothing more universal than death, and nothing brighter with hope
and faith than the assurance of immortality. The abject sorrow that comes with
death, the bereavement that follows the passing of a loved one are mitigated
only by the certainty of the Resurrection of the Son of God that first Easter
morning." — Gordon B. Hinckley,
"This Glorious Easter Morn," Ensign, May 1996, p. 67
(4/12/01)
"Of all the victories in human history, none is so great, none so universal
in its effect, none so everlasting in its consequences as the victory of the
crucified Lord, who came forth in the Resurrection that first Easter
morning." — Gordon B. Hinckley,
"The Son of God," Ensign, Dec. 1992, p. 2
(4/13/01)
"'He is risen; he is not here.' (Mark 16:6.) These words, eloquent in their
simplicity, announced the most significant event of recorded history, the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus—an event so extraordinary that even the
Apostles, who had been most intimately associated with Jesus in his earthly
ministry and who had been carefully taught of the coming event, had difficulty
grasping the reality of its full significance. The first accounts which reached
their ears 'seemed to them as idle tales' (Luke 24:11) as well they might, for
millions of men had lived and died before that day. In every hill and dale men’s
bodies mouldered in the dust, but until that first Easter morning not one had
risen from the grave." — Howard W.
Hunter, "An Apostle’s Witness of the Resurrection," Ensign, May
1986, p. 17
(4/14/01)
"Our great, basic message to the world is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son
of the Living God; that he gave his life as a sacrifice for all mankind; that he
rose from the grave that first Easter morning, 'the firstfruits of them that
slept' (1 Cor. 15:20); that 'as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be
made alive' (1 Cor. 15:22); that he lives, our resurrected Lord and
Master." — Gordon B. Hinckley,
"He Slumbers Not, nor Sleeps," Ensign, May 1983, p. 8
(4/15/01)
"My beloved brethren and sisters, I add my testimony to the testimony of my
brethren this Easter morning. For all of Christendom, for all of mankind, today
is observed as the anniversary of the greatest miracle in human history. It is
the miracle that encompasses all who have lived upon the earth, all who now live
upon the earth, and all who will yet live upon the earth. Nothing done before or
since has so affected mankind as the atonement wrought by Jesus of Nazareth, who
died on Calvary’s cross, was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, and on
the third day arose from the grave as the Living Son of the Living God—the
Savior and Redeemer of the world." — Gordon
B. Hinckley, "The Greatest Miracle in Human History," Ensign, May
1994, p. 72
(3/31/02)
"At this sacred Easter season we solemnly testify that Jesus Christ was
appointed and foreordained to be our Redeemer before the world was formed. With
His divine sonship, His exemplary life, His suffering in the Garden of
Gethsemane and on the cross of Calvary, and subsequent Resurrection from the
grave, He became the author of salvation for all mankind.
"As stated by the Apostle Paul, 'If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept' (1 Corinthians 15:19-20).
"May our hearts be filled with peace and joy at this season of hope and renewal as we contemplate the wondrous blessings available to us through the Savior's Atonement."
The First Presidency
Easter Message, 2002
(4/20/03)
"The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the greatest messages of all
Christianity. It is a divine gift from a loving Father to all mankind. The
Savior's arms are stretched forth to us all, who, by accepting Him in His
appointed way, may become not just believers but true disciples and with Paul
hope to 'obtain a better resurrection' (Hebrews 11:35).
"Despite the sting of death and the loneliness of separation from loved ones who have gone to the grave, in our hour of deepest sorrow and trial we draw hope and peace and certitude from the words of the angel that first Easter morning, 'He is not here: for he is risen, as he said' (Matthew 28:6). 'Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Corinthians 15:57).
"Jesus is our King, our Lord, our Master, the living and resurrected Christ, who stands on the right hand of His Father. He lives! He lives, resplendent and wonderful, the living Son of the living God. Of this we bear solemn, personal testimony at this season of rejoicing, this Easter season when we commemorate the miracle of the empty tomb." — First Presidency Easter Message, 2003
(4/10/04)
"'If a man die, shall he live again?' (Job 14:14). This is the great
universal question framed by Job. He spoke what every other living man or woman
has pondered. The Christ alone, of all the millions who up to that time had
walked the earth, was the first to emerge from the grave triumphant, a living
soul complete in spirit and body. He became 'the firstfruits of them that slept'
(1 Cor. 15:20). Were
greater words ever spoken than those of the angel that first resurrection
morn-'Why seek ye the living among the dead?' (Luke 24:5). 'He is not here:
for he is risen, as he said' (Matt.
28:6)." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Victory over Death," Ensign, April 1997, p. 2
(3/27/05)
"Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the greatest figure of time and eternity.
He is Jehovah of the Old Testament. He is the Messiah of the New Testament. He
died and was resurrected and lives in glory with our Eternal Father. He is our
Savior and Redeemer.
"As a result of our Savior's great atoning sacrifice, death, and
resurrection we become the beneficiaries of His mercy and grace. In a world of
trouble and uncertainty, His peace will fill our hearts and ease our minds.
Jesus is in very deed 'the way, the truth, and the life' (John
14:6).
"At this glorious Easter season we give our sure witness that Jesus is the
Christ. Though He was crucified, He rose triumphant from the tomb to our
everlasting blessing and benefit. He stands as our Advocate and Savior." -
The First Presidency, Easter 2005
4/16/06
"At this wonderful season of hope and renewal we
testify of the glorious reality of the atonement and resurrection of the
Lord, Jesus Christ. The empty tomb brought the most comforting assurance
that can come into man's heart. This was the affirmative answer to the
ageless question raised by Job, 'If a man die, shall he live again?' (Job
14:14).
"As stated by the angel on that first resurrection morn, 'Why seek ye the
living among the dead?' (Luke
24:5). 'He is not here: for he is risen, as he said' (Matthew
28:6).
"This is the promise of the risen Lord. This is the relevance of Jesus to a
world in which all must die. Of all the victories in human history, none is
so great, none so universal in its effect, none so everlasting in its
consequences as the victory of the crucified Lord, who came forth in the
resurrection that first Easter morning." - The First Presidency,
Easter 2006
3/16/08
"Every
thoughtful person has asked himself that question best asked by Job of old: 'If
a man die, shall he live again?' (Job
14:14). Try as we may to put the question out of our thoughts, it always
returns. Death comes to all mankind. It comes to the aged as they walk on
faltering feet. Its call is heard by those who have scarcely reached midway
in life's journey, and often it hushes the laughter of little children.
"Job's
question was answered on that first Easter, when, very early in the morning,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came unto the sepulcher. To their
astonishment, the body of their Lord was gone. Luke records that two men in
shining garments stood by them and said: 'Why
seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen...'
(Luke 24:1, 5—6).
"We solemnly testify that God lives. Jesus is His Son, the Only
Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is our Redeemer; He is our mediator
with the Father. He it was who died on the cross to atone for our sins. He
became the firstfruits of the resurrection. Because of His glorious
resurrection all mankind will live again. 'Oh,
sweet the joy this sentence gives, I know that my Redeemer lives!'
(Hymns,
no. 136)."
-
The First Presidency
3/17/08
"Every
day of our lives and in every season of the year (not just at Easter time),
Jesus asks each of us, as he did following his triumphant entry into Jerusalem
those many years ago, 'What think ye of
Christ? whose son is he?' (Matt.
22:42.)
"We
declare that he is the Son of God, and the reality of that fact should stir our
souls more frequently. I pray that it will, this Easter season and always."
- Howard W. Hunter, "Jesus,
the Very Thought of Thee," Ensign
(CR), May 1993, p.63
3/18/08
"In the glorious dawn of Easter morning,
when the thoughts of the Christian world are turned to the resurrection of Jesus
for a few fleeting moments, let us express appreciation to our Heavenly Father
for the great plan of salvation that has been provided for us. We should turn
toward unselfishness and careful adherence to the principles of righteousness.
In doing so, let us remember that the time of preparation is growing short, that
soon the Savior will return. As the Apostle Paul has said: 'For
yet a little while, and he that shall come will come.'
(Heb. 10:37.)"
- Howard W. Hunter, "Evidences
of the Resurrection," Ensign (CR),
May 1983, p.15
3/20/08
"On
Palm Sunday and on Easter Sunday, our minds turn very naturally to wonderful
thoughts of Jesus. Indeed, Easter, along with perhaps Christmas, may be the only
time in the whole year when some of our brothers and sisters in Christ's flock
find their way to church. That is admirable, but we wonder if thoughts of Jesus,
which 'with sweetness'
fill our breast, ought not to be far more frequent and much more constant in all
times and seasons of our lives. How often do we think of the Savior? How deeply
and how gratefully and how adoringly do we reflect on his life? How central to
our lives do we know him to be?"
- Howard W. Hunter, "That We Might Have Joy," p.7