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
4/4/10
“At
this Easter season as we contemplate our own mortality and remember
loved ones who have passed from this life, our hearts turn to Him who
promised: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as
the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid.’
“Jesus Christ is the literal Savior of the world, the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, the Holy One of Israel, even the risen Lord, who declared: ‘Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. … I am the light and the life of the world.’
“‘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.’
“This Easter season, as His witnesses, we testify that He lives and that through Him, we too shall live.” - The First Presidency
4/2/12
Central to God’s eternal
plan is the mission of His Son, Jesus Christ. He came to redeem God’s
children. Because of the Lord’s Atonement, resurrection (or immortality)
became a reality. Because of the Atonement, eternal life became a
possibility for all who would qualify. Jesus so explained:
“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he
were dead, yet shall he live:
“And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”
For the Atonement of the Lord and His gift of resurrection—for this
sublime message of Easter—thanks be to God! - Russell
M. Nelson, "Thanks
Be to God," Ensign, (CR) May 2012
4/19/14
Jesus Christ was the promised Redeemer of the world, the Savior of
mankind, the Son of the living God. He was with His Father before He
came to earth in mortality, the Creator of the earth upon which we
stand.
In His mortal ministry He walked the dusty roads of Palestine,
healed the sick, raised the dead, taught His gospel, gave His life
on Calvary’s hill, and rose on the third day, a perfected,
resurrected being, breaking the bands of death for us all, thus
becoming “the firstfruits of them that slept.”
The Savior paid the price for all of our sins. The prophet Isaiah
saw the gift beyond the price of the Atonement of Jesus Christ:
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we
did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed” (Isaiah
53:4-5).
We testify that Jesus Christ was resurrected and that He lives today
as our Savior and Redeemer.
The First Presidency
President Thomas S. Monson
President Henry B. Eyring
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
4/5/15
Through the Atonement of Jesus
Christ and the power of His Resurrection, all of God’s children will
be raised unto life eternal. He gave us His Beloved Son as our
Savior to make that possible. The Savior in Gethsemane and on
Golgotha paid the price of our sins so that we could be cleansed.
That purifying can come to those who have faith in Jesus Christ.
The darkness of death is dispelled by the light of revealed truth.
“I am the resurrection, and the life,” spoke the Master. “He that
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And
whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John
11:25).
The assurance of life beyond the grave provides the peace promised
by the Savior when He said to His disciples: “Peace I leave with
you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto
you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John
14:27).
- The First Presidency -
Thomas S. Monson
Henry B. Eyring
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
3/20/16
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, Jehovah of the Old Testament, and
the Messiah of the New Testament. He died and was resurrected, and
He lives in glory with our Eternal Father.
As a result of our Savior’s atoning sacrifice, death, and
resurrection we become the beneficiaries of His mercy and grace. In
a world of trouble and uncertainty, His peace can fill our hearts
and ease our minds. Jesus is in very deed “the way, the truth, and
the life” for God’s children everywhere (John 14:6).
At this 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. He has done for all mankind that which no other could have
done. God be thanked for the gift of His Beloved Son, our Savior,
the Redeemer of the world, the Lamb without blemish who was offered
as a sacrifice for all mankind.
First Presidency
3/20/17
Brothers
and
sisters, 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. His solitary journey brought great company for our little
version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the
unfailing
companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy
Ghost,angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil,
prophets and
apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been
given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of
Jesus Christ and
the Restoration of His gospel. – Jeffrey
R.
Holland, “None
Were
with Him,” Ensign (CR) May 2009