Per usual, I come in saying I'm sorry I didn't keep things moving along on my blog. How can I love doing my hidden away blog and then neglect it? No excuses. My reality is just trying to get on top of MyLife. and Per Usual...as Eliza Doolittle would say...I got it!! Well, at least for the next 5 minutes!
I hope you had a memorable Easter. Easter is the most wondrous event for truly celebrating. This year I hear of more and more young families celebrating the impact and joy of this event by re-enacting the last week of the Saviors life and having special foods and telling the events of the days. I see figurines are available now to help tell the story. Similar to Nativity.
Did you make those Empty Tomb rolls? Maybe some of you did? Recipe here
Christmas always get total attention and even with gifts and Santa in the mix...Christ is still forefront. At least with my friends! But Easter? It seems like the Bunnies and the dyed eggs and the chocolate, edge out the enormity, the impact of Easter on our daily lives. Things seem to be changing though with most of the fun egg hunts etc. done on Saturday and Sunday worship being more of the Sabbath focus.
I love musical Sacrament meetings on Christmas and Easter. LOTS of music and purity in retelling the happenings of both events. I love Cantatas or well-chosen sacred music that backs up the scriptural events. As my Mother would say...That's my druthers.
Our Sacrament meeting today was so interesting. Yes, there was some music (not choir things). Primary/YW/Trio . Lovely!
The big event for me was the speakers. Their subject! Evidently they were asked to speak on Easter but not given a specific subject. Amazing to me, and heartfelt, they both were inspired to talk on the exact same subject, using the exact same event- the most recent Face to Face for the youth. The feeling that the Lord really wanted our Ward to hear the heart of this message was evident. Both of them were struck by the exact same thing. And I had been also when I first heard the event live.
Then I thought...did I tell you how I loved that event? am I losing my mind? did I tell you? did I not tell you? Briefly (and I'm sorry if I'm repeating myself!)...I loved the interaction between President Eyring and Elder Holland. I'd never seen them in a relaxed conversational manner. Nor any of the leaders for that matter! They had such respect for each other and Elder Holland has such esteem for President Eyring. It was so tender.
Most amazing to me...you know how I've studied to better understand how to access the Atonement? I've mentioned it several times and in this talk I learned (along with all the others that had been digging a hole with no end) that the Atonement is not something you access! The Atonement does not stand alone. My life is blessed by the result of the Atonement BUT the Atonement, and all that entailed, was Christs for the doing. It was His to accomplish and through my worship and love and following Christ I benefit from the Atonement that He did. I access Christ. I don't access the Atonement separate and apart. Through Christ's atonement my life can be blessed now and I will live forever.
It was such a profound experience to have that feeling wash over me when I listened to that Face by Face. I could hardly wait to talk to my Laurels about it! Maybe I did share my enthusiasm with you. My enthusiasm was rekindled by the talks today and that feeling of certainty permeated my soul again. It was a monumental Easter service. Thank you, Chelle and Fletcher!
They also mentioned forgiveness/repentance. That hit me also when I first heard it on the broadcast and again today I was reminded of the blessing of repentance. When Terry and I were reading the Book of Mormon together...Over and over people were urged and invited and pleaded with to repent. Reading as we did every day and reading a good chunk at a time, the invite for repentance was really in the forefront. Why? Because we cannot be saved IN our sins so we need to repent FROM our sins so they are blotted out. Erased. Gone. Nothing on the chalk board. Clean.
IF we repent, of every single thing, at death we will be free. IF we don't repent then we will not be free and will feel guilty. Repenting for me is something that I've struggled to really do. I make mistakes of judgment or something that just makes me feel so irritated on not acting on a prompting. It's the disappointment, soul deep, of that feeling of you knew better than that! Disappointment in myself for not doing what I know I should do and feeling capable of doing what I didn't do, is as tortuous to me as anything. (what a sentence!)
In our Book of Mormon reading we learned about the absolute necessity and importance of repenting and also understanding that even my disappointing human imperfections need to be dealt with. Repentance was mentioned over and over and over. Even the need of repenting if feeling unworthy of not doing better. Sometimes I have a sense of embarrassment that I conducted myself in a way that is unbecoming in my mind. I knew better! Not being a nit-picker but just saying...if it bothers you, whatever it is, then repent and move on. I'm trying to do that. (maybe I'm just being Co-D and standing alone. I hope not!)
Fletcher hit on the necessity of repentance and not listening to that inner voice, alluded to above, that prevents us repenting. Chelle hit on repenting, staying in a repentant state, so we can experience having the Holy Ghost with us and feel peace. They covered all the bases! One of those Sacrament days that I would loved to have applauded!
I enjoyed both of their talks so much and I too loved that Face to Face broadcast. IF you have not listened to it yet...you must! I felt like I was sitting at the feet of the Apostles and being instructed personally at that Broadcast. So did Chelle and Fletcher and so will you! here
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