Today was our Fast and Testimony Meeting. Ordinarily, I would just bear my testimony and encourage others to do the same. But because it is Easter, President Garvin assigned those of us who were conducting the meetings to bear a longer testimony, centered on the atonement and resurrection of Christ. Here is the message I prepared. Happy Easter! He is risen!
In
Russia there was an Easter tradition among the believers to greet one another
with the exclamation “He is risen!” The proper response was “He is risen
indeed!”
It
is in this spirit that I wish to testify of the atonement and resurrection of
Jesus Christ. By assignment from President Garvin, I will be speaking a little
longer than I normally would, but as Ammon said, “Who can glory too much in the
Lord? … Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel”
(Al. 26:16).
The
atonement of Jesus Christ is the most significant event that has ever occurred.
Nothing has such a far-reaching effect. It is both universal and personal.
When
Heavenly Father presented his great plan for our eternal happiness, we
rejoiced. We knew that there would be challenges along the way. We knew we
would face difficulties. Above all, we knew that we would sin, and need to
repent. We knew that we could never earn
our own salvation based on our works alone.
Heavenly
Father knew that we would make mistakes; he knew that we would stumble and that
we would need help. As a part of his plan, he provided a Savior for us, to help
bring us back into his presence.
And
so the Father sent his Firstborn Son, his only begotten Son to sacrifice
himself in our behalf. There was no other good enough to make this sacrifice.
Jesus alone was sinless, which qualified him to give himself for us. This was
not just a limited sacrifice, but it was infinite and eternal, as Amulek testified
in Alma 34:9-10, 14-15:
“For
it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great
plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind
must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are
lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient
should be made.
“For
it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a
sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall
not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.
“And behold, this is the whole meaning
of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that
great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.
“And thus he shall bring salvation to
all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last
sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and
bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance”
(Alma 34:9 – 10, 14-15).
The
term “atonement” suggests a reconciliation, and a reuniting in love and
happiness.
This
offering was made out of the great love that both Heavenly Father and his Son,
Jesus Christ have for us. I truly stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me.
I try to think of that each time we partake of the sacrament. (There are great
sermons in our sacrament hymns. I hope that you ponder the messages contained
in them.) His precious blood he freely spilt; his life he freely gave. He did
this willingly for each us.
Alma
described the extent of the Savior’s suffering for us in Alma 7:11-12:
“And
he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every
kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon
him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
“And
he will take upon him death, that he may loose 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 succor his people according to their infirmities” (Alma 7:11 - 12).
This
is one of the most comforting passages of scripture I know. What a blessing it
is to know that the atonement does not just apply to my sins – which would be a
rich blessing in itself – but that it applies all my sorrows and infirmities;
that when life’s challenges begin to be overwhelming, I can call upon the power
of the atonement, and Christ will help me to carry my burdens.
Howard
W. Hunter testified: “Think of it! When his body was taken from the cross and
hastily placed in a borrowed tomb, he, the sinless Son of God, had already
taken upon him not only the sins and temptations of every human soul who will
repent, but all of our sickness and grief and pain of every kind. He suffered
these afflictions as we suffer them, according to the flesh. He suffered them
all. He did this to perfect his mercy and his ability to lift us above every
earthly trial.”
Jesus
Christ himself testified to Martin Harris in D&C 19:15-19:
“Therefore
I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by
my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not,
how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
“For
behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer
if they would repent;
“But
if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
“Which
suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of
pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would
that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
“Nevertheless,
glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the
children of men” (D&
C 19:15 - 19).
In
return for this great gift, Heavenly Father asks very little. He asks that we
repent of our sins, and asks that we strive to be true to our covenants. If we
refuse to repent, we deny ourselves the blessings of the atonement. The Savior
asked: “What doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed on him, and he receive
not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither
rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift” (D&C 88:33).
I
pray that we will all accept this great gift of the atonement of Jesus Christ,
and that we will lay aside our sins and do our best to follow him. I encourage
you to learn of your Savior. Study his life and his works. If you have not done
so, gain your own personal witness of the power of the atonement in your life.
Gain a testimony of Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Redeemer. This
will provide great strength to you as you deal with the trials and temptations
of this life.
The
Savior’s death was not the end. On the third day, he rose again, which we
celebrate today. Because he rose from the grave, we have the promise that we
will all rise again. All of our loved ones will rise again and we will be with
them again.
This
has been a great comfort to us as we await the reunion with our son, and with
grandparents, siblings and others who have died. The grave is not the end! They
will live again, and so will we.
God
lives! He loves us, and desires that we return to live with him again. I
testify that he sent his Son to redeem us from our sins.
I
know that the atonement of Jesus Christ is real. It is powerful. I have felt
its power in my own life. I will be eternally grateful for Christ’s sacrifice
on my behalf.
I
testify to you that Christ is risen! I know that my Redeemer lives. What
comfort this sweet sentence gives!
The
scriptures contain the word of God to us. They testify of Christ and his
mission. We are led by a living prophet who also testifies of Christ and shows
us how to follow him.
I
pray that we will strive to follow him, and that we will not lose sight of the
true meaning of this Easter Day. He is risen!
