On Easter Sunday

I've been wanting to write this post since General Conference and finally have a few minutes that I feel I can justify spending on a blog post. :)

I want to share my witness of Jesus Christ and of the truths of the doctrines solidified by this holy day. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know that He atoned for us. I know He suffered for our sins and for every other kind of suffering we would ever experience. I know He knows every tear we cry and every ache we feel, be it of sin or something else. I know that He laid down his life of his own will only after he had suffered to the utmost. Nothing was left unpaid for, nothing left undone. He himself said "It is finished" and by that he truly mean that the price that had to be paid for each of us to gain salvation had been completely paid. It is so amazing to think of it - to think of what he did and of who he is. I love him so much and owe everything I am and everything I have to Him. I cannot tell you all of the times that He has saved me and delivered me from darkness in my life. His light is so powerful, so pure, so good, that when it enters into me, I feel it burning away irrelevant things. I feel it making me more pure, more good and more holy. Though I am ever weak, I have felt Him make me strong. I have felt His power to change my heart and to make me new and whole.

In the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that took place just a few weekends ago, I felt the witness of the Holy Ghost on two very powerful occasions of the reality of Jesus Christ. I had the blessing of getting to attend the Saturday morning session in the conference center with my cute boyfriend and some of his family. I felt so grateful for the opportunity to be there (and it was def a plus to get to be there with my man ;D). During the first talk or two, the Spirit hit me so hard. I don't remember what was even being spoken about but I remember the feeling that came and it bore a powerful witness to my heart that Jesus Christ is real and that He lives. I knew it. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it in that moment. I knew that Joseph Smith saw Him and God the Father in a sacred grove of trees as a young boy and that they restored The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on the earth today through that young prophet.

The next day, Elder D. Todd Christofferson spoke about Jesus Christ's resurrection. It is a most powerful and hope-filled doctrine that has always resonated deeply within me because of the example and testimony my beautiful mother shared with me when I was a young child. She told me about how our family would be together forever and how my brother who had died as a toddler would live again. She told me of Jesus and she truly celebrated Easter. It was in her heart. She knew it because she had experienced His healing balm to her aching heart. She not only knew it but she lived it and continues to live it. So, with that background, I had dozed off for a moment and woke up to this beautiful talk about Christ's resurrection. This is what I wrote in my journal about it:

"I know Jesus Christ lives. As he spake about Jesus' resurrection, I knew again that Jesus Christ is real. I felt at home, safe, my worries were cleared as what is real and familiar filled my soul. All my troubles seem to be gone as I thought of Him. This talk answered my heaven-inspired question this weekend of "Who is Christ?" More firmly comes to my mind the declaration "I am the Way." I feel that more deeply. He must be made the focus of my life so that I am grounded always. He must be the focus of my home. His Atoning power must be part of my every day life. I may not be able to control other forces around me but I can control my devotion to Christ. This is my one desire. He is my desire. I cannot let things outside of His way into my life, for I want to always be able to be clean before him."

Though I am obviously far from a perfect disciple of Christ, it is true that He is my greatest desire. I love Him and I know that He lives. I have felt Him, His love and the power of the Atonement over and over again in my life. He has cleansed me, healed me, strengthened me, carried me, and stayed by me through all things and I love Him. I know that you too can know of His reality and His love if you so desire. All we have to do is ask and be willing to listen. :)

Much Love.