Easter Thoughts

So Holly frequently teases me about this being "our" blog and the fact that I never post anything. Therefore this is my token post:

We love our Savior Jesus Christ. The past month has taught us some great lessons concerning the power of the Atonement culminating in the past week with the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and finally with Easter Sunday. In Portuguese Easter is called Pascua. I always liked that because it reminds me that it commemorates the Passover, the Jewish Feast celebrating the passing of the destroying angel over the Israelites in the finals days of their bondage in Egypt. This in itself is a symbol of the passing of the destroying angel in our own lives. The children of Israel sacrificed a pure lamb to spread the blood on their door lintel and side posts. This pure lamb is a symbol of the Lamb of God Jesus Christ.

It is by the blood of Christ that the destroying angels of death and sin passover us in our lives. Many doubt and many wonder and many are too busy to care about what will happen to them after this life. We know that through our Redeemer all mankind will live in a body of flesh and bones made perfect after our death. Death has never scared me, either for myself or for others, because I know this: each of us will live again. Christ lived as a mortal man on earth. Born as a baby to Mary he grew up in the faith of his mortal parents and with the strength of his divine parents. Because of his love, each of us can do the same. He died willingly, knowing that he would live again. After three days he rose and left the tomb in his exalted body. My heart leaps to think of that moment when sweet Mary stood at the Tomb and weeping for sorrow suddenly changed her tears to joy when she heard the master call her name "Mary". He lives! Even today he lives! And so shall each of us to come triumphant before our father. Death hath lost its sting! The valley of shadows has been made bright by the light of the world!

And if that wasn't enough to cause us to rejoice ever more. He has saved us from the death we bring upon ourselves as mortals who err, make mistakes, and sin. No one can comprehend how much sin he has felt and understood and all of it more potent because of his perfect nature. I learned at young age that "all our loses will be made up to us" by our great elder brother. In Portuguese the word for lawyer is "advogado". The Savior is our advocate with the Father, he justifies us before him. God hath said no unclean thing can come into my presence. It is by the blood of Christ that our garments are washed clean and made white before him. So at the end of our days if we have endured in the name of Christ we can stand holy in the presence of the divine creator. "though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow".

I love my God. He does exist. He loves us so much more than we can understand. No greater joy can be had than when we turn to Him. We know Jesus is the Christ. Each day as we draw nearer to him he draws nearer to us. We are so grateful for family, friends, prophets, scriptures, and the vicissitudes of life that strengthen our conviction as Christians. All that we do is done because of our love for Him.

May God bless all of you and may you always know this: that we love you and we know the Jesus is the Christ.