When I think of Christ, I imagine the happiest feeling I have ever felt in my life...I think about the most love I have ever felt, and my heart is filled with a yearning to please him. I can not wait until that day when I will see him again. I can only hope that I will be ready.
This day we celebrate, two thousand years ago, outside Jerusalem's walls, there was a pleasant garden spot, Gethsemane by name, where Jesus and his intimate friends went to retire for pondering and prayer.
There Jesus taught his disciples the doctrines of the kingdom and all of them communed with him who is the Father of us all, in whose ministry they were engaged and on whose errand they served.
We do not know, we cannot tell, no mortal mind can conceive the full importance of what Christ did in Gethsemane.
We know he sweat of blood from every pore. He suffered, both body and spirit, more than it is possible for man to suffer, except it be unto death.
We know that in some way, incomprehensible to us, his suffering satisfied the demands of Justice, ransomed penitent souls from the pains and penalties of sin, and made mercy available to those who believe in his holy name.
We know that he lay prostrate upon the ground as the pains and agonies of an infinite burden caused him to tremble and would that he might not drink the bitter cup.
After this his body then wrenched and drained of strength, he confronted Judas and other incarnate devils. He was lead away with a rope around his neck, as a common criminal , to be judged.
He was accused, cursed and smitten. He was whipped with forty stripes with a multithonged whip whose leather strands sharp bones and cutting metals were woven.
He then carried his own cross until he collapsed from the weight.
With great mallets they drove spikes of iron through his feet, hands and wrists. For the space of three hours, all infinite and merciless pains of Gethsemane recurred.
Finally when the atoning agonies had taken their toll, when the Son of God had fulfilled the Will of his Father in all things, then he said, " It is finished. " and he voluntarily gave up the ghost.
His rising from death on the third day crowned the Atonement.
Because of his glorious gift to us, we will all have the chance to resurrect.
And like the sacrament hymn that we sang today at church says, " He lives, he lives who once was dead. He lives and I shall conquer death. He lives my hungry soul to feed. He lives to bless in time of need."
I know he is living, with every part of me, I know it. I know that he loves each and every one of us. I know that for those who people who do not get a chance to accept the Gospel here on this earth, there will be a chance for them to accept and take upon them the required ordinances after this life, in the spirit world. Every person will have the opportunity. Because this is so amazing to me, I can't help but want to serve him.
We gave a gift to Christ today. We tried not to focus too much on the Easter Bunny, that takes away from what we are really celebrating, and we did something really neat for some sweet souls.
The idea began the week after we got back from Disney World.
Brooke was sitting on the couch acting kind of pouty. She said, " Mom I don't have a new costume to wear and I am so bored, I have nothing to do. " I was in shock. Here we had just gotten back from Disney World and she seemed so unaware of her blessings, and the amazing experiences that she gets to experience.
I said nothing. After some thought, even though we had plans with friends and it was going to put us behind schedule, I really thought this needed to be addressed right away. I took Brooke over to the computer, sat her down and started explaining in a very nice way that not everyone gets to go on trips. I told her it makes me really sad when she complains, because when we complain like that it shows Heavenly Father that we are not thankful for what we have. I then went into much detail about how parents have to work to make money, and trips cost a lot. Then we talked about how many children are less fortunate of her. I then looked up pictures on the Internet of starving kids, and children in hospitals. I was a little worried, but mostly glad that she started crying at the sight of these pictures. She said, " Why don't they have food?" " Why is their house a shed? " etc.
For a few days all Brooke could do was gather toys in her room and say she wanted to give them to the kids in the hospital. She drew cards for us in the house. She asked if she could help me clean. She truly was aware that she was blessed beyond measure, and she wanted to give back.
I called the Children's Hospitals and they said that we couldn't bring toys because other children might get the patients sick. So I decided we would go to a Nursing Home.
I looked up a tutorial online about how to make tissue paper flowers, and Brooke and I made 50 flowers, with the help from a friend and some Young Women at church, because my carpo tunnel I couldn't handle that many.
After church Brooke and Will got to give a gift to Christ, by showing love to the patients in the home.
These Grandma and Grandpas were so happy to receive a flower made by such a sweet and pretty little brother, and sister. They loved having sweet children visit them.
Their smiles touched my heart. Their immobility broke my heart. And one lady told us she had been waiting for her children all day, and now we are here, and her day is better.
Jesus said, " If you love me, feed my sheep." John 15:16-17
We can not express our love and gratitude for him enough....
I credit Bruce R. McConkie, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for the description of Christ in Gethsemane. He died a few weeks after delivering the talk called " The Purifying Power of Gethsemane "
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