This post is focusing on my Savior Jesus Christ, some thoughts I have had this week regarding his sacrifice, and what I learned from General Conference. At the end I’ll have a quick slide show of our fun spring break leading up to the culmination of celebrating our Savior’s real birth, death, and resurrection.
It is known, but not common knowledge, that the Savior’s birth was actually in the spring. Many general authorities have stated the exact date to be April 6th. I too believe this. Aside from latter-day revelation, however, historical information also supports this claim due to the season of taxation in Jerusalem occurring in the spring, among other supportive data. There are a few reasons this is significant to me. First of all, the idea that he was resurrected– brought forth, breaking the bands of death into a new life, on the same day that he had been born really holds symbolic power to me. This was also the day the church was officially reorganized. And though we don’t know the exact date Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, we do know it was one spring morning. More personally, however, this date holds a great amount of significance, because my little brother died April 3rd and was buried April 6th. Though this was a painful time, the fact that it coincided with the resurrection of Christ has brought me so much hope as I celebrate the resurrection of Christ while mourning the loss of my brother. I have known for a long time that Jesus is the Christ, that he died for our pains, our sicknesses, our injustices, but also the pain that we cause others, and most importantly the breaking of the bands of death and the promise of an eternal family. It is the center of my belief. It guides the conversations I have with my spouse, it inspires how I parent my children, and hopefully I use it to guide the way I treat those around me.
Alma 7:11-12 states:
“11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and aafflictions and btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him adeath, that he may bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to csuccor his people according to their infirmities.”
I am so very grateful for my Savior’s sacrifice. It is raw and intimate. CS Lewis stated, “He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.”
This general conference came and went way too fast. I’m definitely going to have to relisten and read and take notes on the talks given, but especially Sunday morning session. I felt the Sunday morning’s session’s focus was on being unified. Being unified as a church, as a society, as a family, and within ourselves. They even made the statement that we don’t have to have the same opinions as others to be unified. We can do this by keeping a mindset of love and charity and strive to keep our conversations and interactions with others in a way that would be pleasing with our Savior and Father in Heaven.
I’m excited to revisit these wonderful uplifting talks and ponder on: How can I make our Easter as “big” of a holiday as Christmas? What can I do to make our home more unified? How can I be a better ministering sister? And more. I hope you too were uplifted from this Easter season and general conference!