He Lives!

Today is Easter, and I wanted to share my testimony with that of millions of others around the world. Christ lives! And not only does he live, but his arm is always stretched out in love and mercy towards me.

This past year, as we have moved away from family and friends, I have had to lean on the Lord for strength. I have seen his love in the service of our friends, the love of our ward family, and the comfort I feel when loneliness creeps into my heart.

I am grateful to have the gospel in my life, so that I know that because of Jesus Christ I can have immortality and eternal life. I am grateful for an eternal family. Yesterday, when the kids were speaking unkind words to each other (they don't normally fight) I told them, "We are an eternal family. Heavenly Father put us together because he knew we could love and care for each other. And he wouldn't want us to talk like that to each other." Those words weren't mine, and I knew it was a lesson to not only my kids, but to myself, that our family is a key part of our time here on earth. I know that my family always brings joy into my life.

I am so grateful for the scriptures. They give me such hope and strengthen my faith. I am also grateful for an understanding of the scriptures so I can teach them to my children. I don't think a day goes by without relating something to a scripture story. I am sure that as my kids grow to teenagers they will roll their eyes when I say, "Alma the Younger this" or "Nephi that". Too bad, kids, because we can always find important meaning in the word of these prophets!

I am also grateful for the rebirth of spring. What a beautiful world we live in. It is a great reminder that after the bitter trials of winter, we are always given the fresh joy of spring.

My heart is full the Easter season for all these reasons and more. But mostly because I know that Jesus Christ lived in this world for the soul purpose of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. And because of him, I will live forever with an eternal body. That's a given. And through him, I can live forever with my Father in Heaven again, along with my wonderful family. What joy this brings to my heart, what peace it brings to my soul.