This Easter weekend has been a very lovely one. A family from the ward invited all the young single adults over to watch General Conference at their house, and provided us with yummy food as well. Having the opportunity to listen to the words of the living prophet is always wonderful, of course, and I really enjoyed the talks, especially Elder Bednar's. He always gives amazing addresses.
But seeing as how it's Easter today (and a gorgeous one at that), I thought I'd share an excerpt from one of my favorite addresses on the topic, by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, given at last year's General Conference. It's worth clinking on the link and taking the time to read the whole thing.
"Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said, “I will not leave you comfortless. [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].”source
My other plea at Easter time is that these scenes of Christ’s lonely sacrifice, laced with moments of denial and abandonment and, at least once, outright betrayal, mustnever be reenacted by us. He has walked alone once. Now, may I ask that never again will He have to confront sin without our aid and assistance, that never again will He find only unresponsive onlookers when He sees you and me along His Via Dolorosa in our present day. As we approach this holy week—Passover Thursday with its Paschal Lamb, atoning Friday with its cross, Resurrection Sunday with its empty tomb—may we declare ourselves to be more fully disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in word only and not only in the flush of comfortable times but in deed and in courage and in faith, including when the path is lonely and when our cross is difficult to bear. This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ “at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death,”source for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone."
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