Ten Things of Thankful: Easter Sunday and General Conference

 

Christus statue by Bertel Thorvaldsen shows the resurrected Jesus with outstretched arms

Happy Easter! Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the hope for the world. Easter celebrates the fulfillment of His earthly mission, His atoning sacrifice that provides a way for each of us to have peace and joy even amid the challenges of life. Everything is possible because of Him. 

This weekend is also General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am thankful for the messages given and the reminders of how strengthening our relationship with Jesus Christ allows us to more easily recognize and feel His power in our lives:

1. "Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, lives, knows us, watches over us, and cares for us. As we pray continually, no matter the circumstances of life, the Lord will offer us His peace and abiding support." (Henry B. Eyring)

2. "As we follow, love, and serve the Savior, we gradually focus less on our own desires and interests, and more on understanding and addressing the needs of others. We do not merely perform benevolent deeds; rather, our state of being is changed and becomes increasingly Christlike. Charity, then, ultimately possesses us." (David A. Bednar)

3. ". . .even as societal pressures pull people away from faith, life's deepers questions don't go away. Only Jesus Christ can fully restore that light and joy into your life. We all struggle and need patience, service, and love from each other." (Clark G. Gilbert)

4. "The question should never be 'Will the Savior walk with me?' He will. The real question is 'Will I walk with Him?'" (Clement M. Matswagothata)

5. "Through Him, we receive strength beyond our own to not only survive the challenges of life, but to grow and thrive. Through Him life becomes more hopeful and more joyful, and the fruits of the Spirit are manifested in us. Therefore, just as branches cannot bear fruit of themselves unless they remain connected to the vine, neither can we reach our full spiritual measure unless we abide in Jesus Christ and His gospel." (Ulisses Soares)

6. "Living the message of the risen Christ testifies of our devotion and love of our Savior. It may well be that our consistent, courageous and humble acts of service and love for God and His children will speak far more eloquently and powerfully than we ever could through words alone." (Dieter F. Utchdorf)

7. "Focusing on the Savior, His infinite Atonement, and what He has done for us will bring joy and clarity into our lives, no matter how many other concerns we have." (Dale G. Renlund)

8. "Jesus Christ is our strength. Because of Him, no matter how bad things are right now, your best days are ahead." (Emily Belle Freeman)

9. "'Come unto me' is a divine invitation which means wherever you are now, whatever you are going through in your life, you can feel God's infinite love manifested through His Son, Jesus Christ." (Thierry K. Mutombo)

10. "We can follow the example of Jesus Christ, who is our role model, by choosing to love others--even if they show little or no love toward us." (Dallin H. Oaks)

Jesus Christ can replace worry with hope, sorrow with comfort, and sorrow with joy. He offers "peace that surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7) and strength to do "all things." (Philippians 4:13) I am thankful for Him, on this Easter Sunday, and always.

What are you thankful for? Be sure to check out the other bloggers' entries to this week's Ten Things of Thankful blog hop!  

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