Easter is my favorite holiday!
Spring * Flowers * Bunnies * Chicks *CANDY!
and General Conference - where we hear from the Prophet and Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
And most of all the resurrection of Christ
Easter 2015 was special for us in So So many ways!
River was in the hospital after her Major surgery (removed 80% of liver, right diaphragm and 8 parts of right lung).
Easter morning they had a Hospital Egg Hunt. River had been struggling just to get to the bathroom and back. We could occasionally get her to take a few extra steps to the edge of the bed or to the door and back. She had thought about the egg hunt for a day or two and that morning said she would like to go see it. We unhooked everything that could be unhooked and took the rest with us!
River started in a wheelchair and went to the big lounge on the 3rd floor with the piano. There were eggs hidden all through the hospital - and this was a stash of hundreds of eggs. River would point to where she would like to go and Colt would wheel her over. I would then get the egg and put it in her bag. She reached for an egg and opened it.
There were quite a few kids and they were running around gathering eggs as quickly as they could. She couldn't quite reach one, so decided that she would get up out of the wheelchair to be able to get this egg. She hesitantly stood and reached for an egg. And then another, and then another - bending and collecting. All visible eggs were quickly disappearing.
Volunteers have been amazing at doing crafts with River, visiting her, bringing in dogs and toy cars. In general - bringing smiles and cheer with them.
One of our special volunteer friends is Joel. He does bingo over the television every Wednesday morning with the kids in the hospital. It took about 6 months for River to smile and laugh at his jokes :) She was pretty sick for a long time. She began looking forward to his visits and preparing jokes for him. His laugh is contagious!
Joel (in green volunteer shirt above) came up to River and said that there was a hall with TONS of eggs still! There were dozens upon dozens of eggs. She WALKED slowly down the next hall - and gathered egg after egg. We were all amazed at her determination.
Once the throngs of children thinned and disappeared Joel told us that in the hope garden there were still eggs to find. We went outside - Oh! What a beautiful, Glorious day to remember Christ's Resurrection.
“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25)
When Christ rose from the grave, becoming the firstfruits of the Resurrection, He made that gift available to all. And with that sublime act, He softened the devastating, consuming sorrow that gnaws at the souls of those who have lost precious loved ones.
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
I know that our family is Eternal. Temples hold the sealing power of eternity.
River kept going around and around and around the garden gathering eggs. The volunteers would place eggs behind her - and would encourage her to "Go around again!" And again. And again.
They realized what a HUGE accomplishment this was for her to be up out of bed and kept her going. How grateful I am to all the volunteers for their service in our behalf.
River taking notes in her journal during General Conference.
Easter is also a time for General Conference - held twice a year.
Held twice a year in April and October - in fact October 3rd and 4th - yes today and tomorrow!
It is a special, sacred time for our family to be able to hear from the Prophet and apostles.
Their messages from God always uplift and strengthen me.
I invite you to watch it live with us Saturday from 10 - noon (MT) and again from 2 to 4
And Sunday the same 10-noon and 2:00 to 4:00
You can watch it live - go to lds.org for the link.
Conference will also be available on lds.org after it is broadcast - so if you miss it, you can always catch it later. I find the spirit whisper to my soul of important truths and messages God would have us hear today.
The messages from General Conference are available a month after conference in printed form. If you would like a copy - I would be happy to mail you one. Just email me at karin293@yahoo.com to request a copy.
What we believe:
The authority of God to organize His Church and perform ordinances of salvation was lost because of apostasy after the death of Jesus Christ and His Apostles in the first century A.D. However, it was restored by the Lord to Joseph Smith through heavenly messengers during the 19th century.
The keys of the priesthood are the right to preside and direct the affairs of the Church within a jurisdiction. Jesus Christ holds all the keys of the priesthood pertaining to His Church. He has conferred upon each of His Apostles all the keys that pertain to the kingdom of God on earth.
Amos 3:7"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."
Amos 3:7Apostles are called of God: ‘Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you’ (John 15:16)
Here are some abbreviated snippets of a few talks of April Conference that meant so much to me!
Blessings of the Temple
President Thomas S. Monson
As I think of temples, my thoughts turn to the many blessings we receive therein. As we enter through the doors of the temple, we leave behind us the distractions and confusion of the world. Inside this sacred sanctuary, we find beauty and order. There is rest for our souls and a respite from the cares of our lives.
As we attend the temple, there can come to us a dimension of spirituality and a feeling of peace which will transcend any other feeling which could come into the human heart. We will grasp the true meaning of the words of the Savior when He said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. … Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
Such peace can permeate any heart—hearts that are troubled, hearts that are burdened down with grief, hearts that feel confusion, hearts that plead for help. …
My brothers and sisters, in our lives we will have temptations; we will have trials and challenges. As we go to the temple, as we remember the covenants we make there, we will be better able to overcome those temptations and to bear our trials. In the temple we can find peace.
The Lord Is My Light
Elder Quentin L. Cook
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
If the grim realities you are facing at this time seem dark and heavy and almost unbearable, remember that in the soul-wrenching darkness of Gethsemane and the incomprehensible torture and pain of Calvary, the Savior accomplished the Atonement, which resolves the most terrible burdens that can occur in this life. He did it for you, and He did it for me. He did it because He loves us and because He obeys and loves His Father. We will be rescued from death—even from the depths of the sea.
Our protections in this life and for eternity will be in individual and family righteousness, Church ordinances, and following the Savior. This is our refuge from the storm. For those who feel they are alone, you can stand resolutely in righteousness knowing that the Atonement will protect and bless you beyond your ability to fully understand.
We should remember the Savior, keep our covenants, and follow the Son of God as the young sunflower follows the sunshine. Following His light and example will bring us joy, happiness, and peace. As Psalm 27 and a favorite hymn both proclaim, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”
Therefore They Hushed Their Fears
Elder David A. Bednar
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Trust and confidence in Christ and a ready reliance on His merits, mercy, and grace lead to hope, through His Atonement, in the Resurrection and eternal life (see Moroni 7:41). Such faith and hope invite into our lives the sweet peace of conscience for which we all yearn. The power of the Atonement makes repentance possible and quells the despair caused by sin; it also strengthens us to see, do, and become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity. Truly, one of the great blessings of devoted discipleship is “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
The peace Christ gives allows us to view mortality through the precious perspective of eternity and supplies a spiritual settledness (see Colossians 1:23) that helps us maintain a consistent focus on our heavenly destination. Thus, we can be blessed to hush our fears because His doctrine provides purpose and direction in all aspects of our lives. His ordinances and covenants fortify and comfort in times both good and bad. And His priesthood authority gives assurance that the things that matter most can endure both in time and in eternity.
