Easter Sunday- Act 1

I had to speak on Easter Sunday. I had a couple requests for my talk so here it is....

Happy Easter!! Easter can mean so many different things to so many people. It can mean that an Easter Bunny came and delivered treats. It can mean coloring eggs and family dinners. It can signify the beginning of spring. BUT to the majority of the Christian world, Easter is the celebration of our lord and savior Jesus Christ.
¶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
JOHN 3:16,17
I cannot think of gift I’d rather have more!! I woke up this morning and laid out my own girls dresses. I reflected on the significance of today. I cannot even comprehend what it must have been like for Heavenly Father on Friday. He watched his son take the sins of man. He watched him selflessly sacrifice and He heard and knew of the hatred in mans heart as His Son did this for them. I looked at Ellie sleeping and tried for a moment to place myself there. How Father in Heaven must of looked at His eldest son, standing among his opposition so nobly and with purpose, to watch him face adversity showing such a depth of courage and understanding in truth. Today our Saviors tomb was found empty and the promise of everlasting life fulfilled. Today we rejoice. Today we covenanted to,
“willing[ly]… take upon [us] the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given [us]; that [we] may always have his Spirit to be with [us].”
D&C 20:77
In our world and in our time we too must stand with courage, as our Savior did. Recently, President Monson recognized three areas in which we might show this courage[i].
1) The courage to refrain from judging others. I am going to expand this point to simply state. The courage to love one another.
2) The courage to be chaste and virtuous
3) The courage to stand firm in truth and righteousness.
Covenanting with Our Savior we WILLINGLY take upon us his name and commit to honoring the commandments.
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye alove one another; as I have loved you, that ye also blove one another.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have alove one to another.”
JOHN 13:34, 35

Our Savior taught us love.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
JOHN 15:13
He taught us devotion by giving of himself. He taught us compassion by being compassionate. He taught us forgiveness by being forgiving. We promise to remember him. We bear witness to the greatest act of pure love. We are asked and we promise to love one another.
"We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." – Anonymous
This quote reminded me of the talk President Erying gave in the October Conference about unity. He says, “I have heard [the message of unity] from EVERY prophet of God in my lifetime… they have always called for unity. The need for that gift to be granted to us and the challenge to maintain it will grow greater in the days ahead.” Unity does not come without love. We make the choice. Elder Ballard tells a story of the Saviors example in a talk titled, Women in Righteousness. I am just going to changed the statements so they can apply to everyone.
“When God asked who would come to earth to prepare a way for all mankind to be saved and strengthened and blessed, it was Jesus Christ who said, simply,
“Here am I, send me”
Abr. 3:27
Just as the Savior stepped forward to fulfill His divine responsibilities, we have the challenge and responsibility to do likewise. If you are wondering if you make a difference to the Lord, imagine the impact you make with the following:
“Father, if you need someone to be compassionate, devoted, and forgiving while serving my brothers and sisters, here I am send me.”
“Father, if you need some one with the courage to defend and help the spiritually or temporally weak, here I am send me.”
“Father, if you need someone with the strength and determination to stand up to the pressures of the world, here I am send me.”
“Father, If You need someone who will fix their eyes on eternity, here am I, send me.”

The Law of chastity has eternal consequences. “Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?
ALMA 39:5
Murder, denying the holy Ghost, THEN failure to live the law of chastity. Those who are chaste are morally clean in their thoughts, words, and actions. The law of chastity is black and white. The topical guide on the church’s website gives us the following council,
Decide now to be chaste. “Being decisive, being focused, committing ourselves to the fulfillment of a dream, greatly increases our chance for success.”
-Anonyms
Control our thoughts. “Everything, even our eternal destiny, begins with a thought. Pure thoughts lead to pure acts, pure acts lead to pure habits, pure habits lead to pure character, and pure character leads to eternal life. 1 Thoughts may seem like little things, but in reality they are crucial to our eternal salvation.”
Sheldon F. Child, “Words of Jesus: Chastity,” Ensign, Jan 2003, 44

Stay away from pornography. “Satan is out to destroy us, and he knows that it can all begin with a simple thought. He will use every method and medium to rob us of that greatest of all gifts—eternal life. It is so very important to keep our minds sweet and pure—to read books that edify, listen to music that uplifts, and treasure up in our minds those things that will lead us to Christ. As the Savior explained,

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”.
Matt. 6:21



By treasuring that which is pure and uplifting, our thoughts and our hearts become pure.”

Sheldon F. Child, “Words of Jesus: Chastity,” Ensign, Jan 2003, 44

In the topical guide it gives two more pieces of council;
1) If we are single and dating, always treat our date with respect.
2) If we are married, be faithful to our spouse in our thoughts, words, and actions.
I would like to combine them to read;
Be respectful for all others in our thoughts, words, and actions.
In Dallin H. Oaks article, “Reverent and Clean,” he says,
“Indecent and vulgar expressions pollute the air around us. Relations that are sacred between husband and wife are branded with coarse expressions that degrade what is intimate in marriage and make commonplace what is forbidden outside it Members of the Church, young or old, should never allow profane or vulgar words to pass their lips. The language we use projects the images of our hearts, and our hearts should be pure. As the Savior taught:
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Sometimes we can remove ourselves from language that is profane or vulgar. If this is not possible, we can at least register an objection so that others cannot conclude that our silence means approval or acquiescence.
Our thirteenth article of faith commits us to seek after things that are “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy.” The language of Latter-day Saints should be reverent and clean”. AND RESPECTFUL.

We mustn’t waiver. President Monson’s third and final plea, is to stand firm in truth and righteousness. Eleanor Roosevelt said,
“So much attention is paid to the aggressive sins, such as violence and cruelty and greed with all their tragic effects, that too little attention is paid to the passive sins, such as apathy and laziness, which in the long run can have a more devastating effect.”
In Priesthood session of the April 2009 Conference, President Monson directed our men to
1. Study diligently.
2. Pray fervently.
3. Live righteously.
Three very basic principals and yet, President Monson has taught that the "teaching of fundamentals is urgent. That we might better understand our task and our opportunity" In the closing remarks, “until we meet again”, we are left with the following messages from President Monson.
“I remind you that the messages will be printed in next month's Ensign and Liahona magazines. I urge you to study the messages and to ponder their teachings and then to apply them in your life.”
My brothers and sisters, may we strive to live closer to the Lord. May we remember to "pray always lest [we] enter into temptation. To you parents, express your love to your children. Pray for them that they may be able to withstand the evils of the world. Pray that they may grow in faith and testimony. Pray that they may pursue lives of goodness and of service to others.
We have built temples throughout the world and will continue to do so. To you who are worthy and able to attend the temple, I would admonish you to go often. The temple is a place where we can find peace. There we receive a renewed dedication to the gospel and a strengthened resolve to keep the commandments.”
May we not let the “passive sins, such as apathy and laziness” prevent us from standing firm in truth and righteousness. Standing firm gives us the strength and courage to continue to fight the battle against the evils of the world, just as our Savior did. I know there was purpose in Christ’s sacrifice for us. My hope and prayer is that we continue that journey showing love for our fellow brethren, defending virtue and honor, standing firm in truth and righteousness. May we “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places”, is my prayer in the name of thy beloved son and my savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.