Resurrection

This week I set out preparing a lesson on the resurrection for Easter sunday for a class of 7-8 year olds. A daunting task really to think about how to adequately convey the importance and beauty of the resurrection. My first step to preparing a lesson is just to study the topic myself. So I started reading about the atonement, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I have a firm and sound testimony of the atonement and death of our Savior. I know he suffered for all of ours sins and felt every last heartbreak everyone on this earth will feel. I reflected on my testimony happy that the memories of using the Atonement in my life remained strong in my memory. I remember repenting and getting baptized and needing the Atonement to reassure me that I was indeed clean. I also remember having a miscarriage, and needing so desperately the Savior's healing comfort in my life. He healed my broken heart and today I am stronger because of it.

My testimony of the Savior's death runs deep into my childhood. His death was a large focus in Easter programs growing up. I remember feeling deep inside me that he did die for me. In fact, He willingly died for me.

The purpose of my lesson in my manual states that the reason we celebrate Easter is because of the Resurrection. I think often we get caught up in the story of agony, pain, and death. Focusing on the great sacrifices and quickly addressing at the end, "oh yeah and then He overcame death!"

Wait.

Think.

He overcame death.

For some reason His resurrection really started to stand out and shine and I started addressing whether or not I truly had a testimony of it.

So I focused my study and turned to my favorite tool, the Bible Dictionary. The resurrection is offered to us all. It promises that all who were on earth will have their spirits and bodies reunited some day. Not only will they be reunited but they will be in a PERFECT state.

I started to think about all those who I have loved and lost who will be resurrected, most notibly my grandmother Patricia Jean Turner.

She was a beautiful lady and the best grandmother a girl could ask for. She has left so many lessons with me, and has continued to teach me after her death. I think of her often and have always felt her watching over me in my journey as a convert. I like to think we are kindred spirits of sorts.

In thinking of my grandmother, I thought about how the resurrection can be such a comfort when thinking about those we lost.

We come to this earth to form bonds, relationships, to grow. We form connections and because of death those connections are rent, torn by mortality. It hurts us, breaks us, and often we are overcome by grief for the physicality of a bond. What joy and what comfort comes then when we think about the resurrection and how it will reunite those beautiful bonds and relationships in an immortal state!

It gets me excited. Really excited!

I am excited because I know that it's true! I know that I will get to sit and talk with my grandmother again and I will feel the strength of our connection. This is what the resurrection means to me.

So we celebrate Easter Sunday to think about the sacrifice of our Savior but we should also remember the joy and happiness of His resurrection. His resurrection was the first and was a promise to us all of what we can have as well.