He Lives

Because of the sacred events that we celebrate during the Easter weekend, my thoughts for the past several days have been ones of gratitude for my Savior. Since that is what is so strongly in my mind at this time, I would like to share with you my personal love for and testimony of Jesus Christ. I KNOW there is a Heavenly Father and that Jesus Christ is his son and our brother, for we are also sons and daughters of Heavenly Father. How do I know? I know because I have felt them very close to me when I needed them, and they have spoken to me...not in audible voices but by feelings of comfort and peace and in thoughts and ideas that have come into my mind. There have also come promptings, impressions and instructions to so something that can't be put out of my mind until I act. The Lord can speak to us in many ways if we are trying to live righteous lives and learn how to listen for answers when we pray. I testify that God and Christ live, that they know us individually and love us. They are closer to us than we realize, and will always answer our prayer.

At Easter time, I always read the words of Melvin J. Ballard in his talk "The Agony of Christ" because it reminds me not only of great sacrifice made by the Saviour in my behalf but also the pain and suffering of our Father in Heaven as he watched his beloved son go through such agony of body and spirit yet loved us enough not to interfere. Can you imagine as a parent how you could watch your child go through such suffering and not do anything to help? Can you imagine how God must have felt when Christ called out to Him, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

If you have a copy of "Grandma's Favorite Christmas Stories", this talk is in there. It is too long for me to include in this blog. Get it out and read it. I promise it will give you an appreciation of what the Saviour has done for us and a love of Heavenly Father that you have never felt before. If you don't have this talk available to you and would like it, I will go ahead and put it on the blog in spite of the length.

May you all have a blessed Easter, and take time to meditate, ponder, and show appreciation for the great love shown to you through the atonement of Jesus Christ by the righteous lives you live.