Happy Easter

Easter is an important holiday to me and I LOVE celebrating it. We were able to spend this Easter at the Stacey's near Cleveland which made it extra special (and there was Conference on top of that which is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday).

We just got home, but I wanted to post some kind of Easter message before the day passed. I am so grateful for my testimony of the Savior, Jesus Christ. I don't have many gifts, but I count my testimony as one of the greatest gifts I could ever ask for. I know that He walked the Earth, not as an ordinary man or great teacher, but as the Savior of the World. I know that He suffered and died for our sins and, more importantly, I know that He overcame all and was resurrected. My ultimate joys are made possible through this knowledge.

All of us benefit from the transcendent blessings of the Atonement and the Resurrection, through which the divine healing process can work in our lives. The hurt can be replaced by the joy the Savior promised. To the doubting Thomas, Jesus said, “Be not faithless, but believing.” Through faith and righteousness all of the inequities, injuries, and pains of this life can be fully compensated for and made right. Blessings denied in this life will be fully recompensed in the eternities. Through complete repentance of our sins we can be forgiven and we can enjoy eternal life. Thus our suffering in this life can be as the refining fire, purifying us for a higher purpose. Heartaches can be healed, and we can come to know a soul-satisfying joy and happiness beyond our dreams and expectations.

Elder James E. Faust

As kind of a related side-note, I've been looking up some old general authority talks lately, and really love listening to this one by Elder Maxwell. You can view it here. There is really nothing like listening to an Elder Maxwell talk.

And alas, here are some Easter egg hunt pictures of Luke. Andrew's Dad took some really good ones but I don't have them yet, so I may post more later. I hope you all had a great Easter!