Easter

Just wanted to put up a quick post about Easter. . . it's kind of this Sunday, so I'm a little late, and it's Good Friday today. Okay, so, surprisingly enough, Easter has nothing to do with a bunny. The idea of a rabbit came from the whole Pagan holiday idea that Easter is in the spring, and that is the time of birth for most animals, and a rabbit is a traditional sign of fertility. Other than that, there is really is nothing to do with rabbits, candy, gifts and Easter. The true gift is the gift that Jesus' Atonement.

Easter is a time to celebrate Jesus Christ's crucifixion, atonement and resurrection. It is to celebrate His sacrifice for us, He died for us, that we might live. That we can have a choice and a chance to repent for out sins, and be with Him, and Heavenly Father again.

Eternal families

All right, so I've done a lot of preaching, and I've mentioned a lot of different subjects. However, I have neglected to mention one of the most awesome (Or I think the most awesome) difference about our church. Which is eternal families. See, as LDS, we have temples (See picture below) and in these temples there are many different covenants and ordinances that are performed that I don't even know about because I haven't had the amazing opportunity to go through yet, but someday I will.

Anyway, one of the things that is performed in the temple is a marriage sealing, a worthy man and woman can be married and or sealed in the temple for all eternity. All of the children they have will automatically be sealed to them, just for being born under their parent's sealing. Hopefully you're still with me and I'm not confusing you. lol But anyway, I am sealed to my parents forever and we'll always be together.
Anyway, the whole point of this post, is just for me to bear my testimony that I love the temple, I love visiting there, I love seeing it and I am so grateful that we have these holy places in an imperfect world. I am eternally grateful for the blessing of being sealed to my parents forever, and that we will be together forever, and one day I hope to enter the temple with my fiancee and be married/sealed to him for time and all eternity and we will not be separated by death.

Summer

Well, yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous day! It was warm and sunny, and just beautiful.

As I look around at the first flowers of spring that are blooming, I think of all of the amazing things that our Heavenly Father has created for us. He created all of these things to beautify His world, for us to enjoy. Spring and summer are the best seasons to me, I love the warmth and the sun. It's hard to be unhappy when the sun shines on your face. Unless you're really hot. lol When I look at all of the amazing things around me, I can't help but know, that this was all created by a higher being. There's no way that our world came along by chance, no way that our perfect, amazing bodies, "evolved" from a lower form. Some believe that yes, there is a God, and he created us and the world, but then he just put us her and abandoned us. No. He loves us, and he watches over us. Yes, He lets bad things happen to good people. We don't know why, but it is for some higher purpose and some higher reason. He answers our prayers, He sent his beloved Son to die and suffer, that we might have a chance to live and return to live with Him someday. This is called the Atonement, and it's available to everyone who is willing to repent and humble themselves with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Easter is a time to remember the Resurrection, and the Atonement. To thing of our dear older brother, Jesus. He loves us and he wants us to return to Him. I hope that everyone takes a few moments out of their day this Easter to think of Him, and the amazing story of him, and his wonderful, perfect love, and his beautiful Plan of Salvation.

General Conference

All right, so today and tomorrow is General Conference. For those who do not know what that is, it is a televised broadcast that is watched all over the world.

It is an opportunity for the President of our church, or Prophet, to address us, and teach us.
When I was younger I never really cared for General Conference, I was like, great, it's like two hours of Sacrament meeting. However, as I've grown and matured, I've realized what a blessing Sacrament meeting is and General Conference.
We have the opportunity for the Prophet of the Lord to speak to us and tell us the things that the Lord wants us to know. It is truly a testament of how much our Heavenly Father loves us and cares for us.
I love listening to the stories and analogies that are told in the conference talks, and the wonderful spirit that I feel when I listen to these amazing men speak.
The conference sessions are on at 12 pm. EST on Sunday and then again at 4 pm. EST. I invite everyone to watch either on the BYU channel in your own home or any ward building nearby.