¶ Intro / Opening
Welcome to our home. Today we are often known We are going to be studying three main topics today. First, I encourage you to have your scriptures out. Yeah. Whatever makes it. Welcome to Grounded, where women and men of all ages Jesus Christ and become more like him. We are so grateful also to have Susan Porter with us today. Susan
Thank you for being here in our home. Thank you for the invitation, Barbara. Susan, you have just become a dear friend. I remember not too long ago my niece sending a picture of her daughters uh watching you. as you spoke at General Conference and their love for you and just you were speaking to them and they're just so excited to be able to enjoy you speaking to them as children. Wow, what a blessing that was to receive that inspiration. Oh. To speak to children and
Their hearts are pure. Their hearts are pure. Susan, really thank you. Thank you for your life of study and understanding and the preparation that you have. Made to be so effective in helping us, all of us, teach our children, but also more importantly, or just as importantly, come into Christ. So thank you for your example, thank you for your teachings, for who you are. Susan, we often talk about the word hearken and President Nelson's reminder for us to hearken, to to listen and obey.
And we'd like to think about this in terms of discipleship. And so we'd like to ask our guests to describe themselves as an in terms of being a disciple of Christ. Mm. How are you a disciple of Christ, Susan? Yeah, I love when I think about that word disciple. I picture myself on a journey, a journey of discipleship. It's gonna take my whole life. You know, sometimes I
make a mistake or don't recognize an uh an impression or a prompting and I say, Susan, you've been working on this for decades. But then I realize our entire life is a One of my favorite phrases is from Alma 7, when Alma is testifying to the people, he talks about the Savior, his birth, his atoning sacrifice. And then he invites people to see. To be humble.
and to be easy to be entreated. And I love keeping that in my heart that I being a disciple for me is trying to be easy to be entreated by the Lord, by his spirit, by the Lord's servant. that I'm always open to being treated to make the next step. Susan, what do you mean by entreated? I think every impression is like the Lord entreating. To do something for him. I think when we're in general conference and we hear a talk and we're we have a little twin.
I can do better there. We're being entreated. Entreating is an invitation, but it's got more to it. Yeah. Than just would you come to my house at three o'clock on Friday? It I'm really inviting you to receive something better. That is a great you know, we're seeing this all throughout the Doctrine and Covenants, right? I think that the Lord is trying to teach Joseph
And Oliver and Hiram and Emma and and you know and Lucy, all of all of us. He's he's trying to help us to become easily and treated. That is so beautiful. Quick to observe. Yeah. Right? And he doesn't contemn us. He doesn't condemn us. He just wants to invite us to take the next step. Oh, I Susan, I just love that. In addition to you being a disciple of Christ, as I used to say, even as part of you being a disciple of Christ, I want to just uh help.
help our audience know you a little bit better if that's okay. I think it's important that they understand that you are coming from a part member family. Mm-hmm. Is it Western New York, is that right? Can you tell us a little bit about your family just briefly? Yes, yes. So I was the oldest of five children. Okay. My father was a chemist for corn and glass. So that that's what took us to western New York.
Um he was a great father. He was not a member of the church, but my mother just was a very devoted member and taught us the gospel of Jesus Christ. Susan, I have been impressed over the years to note how many leaders of the church, the the difference in how they have been raised in their families. You know, President Nelson recently talking about him being raised in, you know, a part member family
Or at least an active, you know, the less active family. And you know, President Nelson, that experience and then President Oakes and his father passing away at a young age. You know, President Holland has recently talked about his experience growing up and, you know, Elder Bednar with his father not being a member of the church, and this we see this with so many leaders and I I just have
I appreciated learning that that we are all alike. We all come from a different walk of life. And there's someone that we can all connect with and learn from. There's no perfect family, right? But we're trying to create these eternal families. Yes. So I I just I love you sharing that with us. Thank you, Susan. Your husband served as a general authority for over twenty years, if I remember right. Yeah.
And and you I'm assuming you went to many places, had a variety of assignments all over the world. Can you tell us a little bit about that as well? Yes, both of our uh living experiences overseas had to do with the lands of the East, with Russia. Ukraine, the Baltics, all of that wonderful area of the Lord's Vineyard. So we were able to live in Germany for a time. We lived in Moscow, Russia for a time, traveled all over.
He also had assignments to be over the work of the gospel in the Middle East, and so traveled North Africa, Middle East, and What a blessing to see members of the church in in all those areas that I've mentioned. The gospel was new, the members were few, but to see how they uh honored Christ. No matter their circle.
Susan, I remember listening to your husband one time. He taught there was a small group of us. We were up in in the correlation department of the church, and he just bore the strongest testimony of Jesus Christ. And I just knew that he is a man of God. I also recognizing we can talk about this little today that your husband has passed away. When did he pass away? Eight years ago. Eight years ago? It was in December of twenty sixteen. Yeah. Three days after.
W again we'll talk about that perhaps a little bit more as we're talking about the hope and faith in Christ, if that's okay. Mm-hmm. I also want to I think it's so amazing that you're the primary general president and just what that is requiring of you and the blessings and just so much that has been in your life. If it's not too personal, Susan, I just in thinking about this and your husband passed away, all these experiences that you've had
That that's unique. You you are in a neak position to be serving in in this incredibly important calling and so visible to the world. And your husband has passed away and you are just strong and stalwart. You s you seem amazing. Can you can tell us a little bit about this experience serving in that calling as a as a woman in in in your current circumstances?
Yes. It's amazing. It's not something that ever even uh, you know, occurred to me. But I had an experience uh three months after Bruce passed away. So he he got sick in Moscow. We were flown on a medical transport back to the United States. Uh, he started to recover, but then took a steep decline. Um
and passed away. So we had come back with just carry-on luggage. Uh I never had I never had any impression that he would pass away. I just thought, okay, we've got a difficult thing here. It'll be a long recovery. But he did pass away. And so um three months later, I get a call to meet with the state president. And I thought he was going to say, How are you doing? You know, how can we help you?
And he did for about ten seconds. And then he issued a call to me to serve in the Stake Relief Society presidency. Wow. And I remember sitting there, I have no capacity to do that right now. You know, I'm just trying to figure out. um where I am and what I'm doing. But in my mind I had this picture of holding my hands like this and that I could offer this much. And so I accepted the calling, and that's about how much I could offer at the beginning.
But little by little the Lord opened to my eyes how I could serve because of my experiences. you know, with grief and sorrow that I was still going through, that would allow me to connect with so many sisters in the stake. And so I saw from that little offering, the Lord took it. He accepted it. And so that's, you know, how I felt when I've accepted any calling, but especially this calling to serve as the general uh president of the primary, um, that we offer what we have.
To the Lord. Susan, do you feel comfortable sharing how you were called, the the the circumstances of your calling currently? Yes. Well, as you remember I was serving as the first counselor. I do remember that, yes. And that was a total surprise. I had been serving on the Relief Society. general counsel under Jean Bingham. Okay. And so I received a call uh
and was was called to be the primary first counselor. And they said to Camille Johnson, I had never met Camille Johnson before. So I knew Amy Wright because she had served in young women. So we had a glorious year together. So I'm flying back. This is my first international assignment, serving as the primary first counselor from Europe. I'm on the plane. It's Monday. We're, you know, we're flying home.
And I thought, you know what, I should check my calendar for the week. And it popped on my calendar that I had a meeting with President Nelson that week. I had no idea what that could be about. Um And, you know, we'd been working on a number of things at the first presidency was but I yes, I walked in and uh was called to be the Primeir General President. And I said to President Nelson, I said I am happy to accept that.
I do not feel qualified. Yeah, I'm sure. Does anyone ever feel qualified to accept a general, you know, president calling? Yeah. And he just looked at me and smiled and he said, If all of us had to be qualified, none of us would be serving where we are. So
That was how I was called. Wow. Wow. Well, thank you so much for sharing that. And thank you again for your service. Your experiences are going to definitely benefit this discussion today regarding regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the celebration of Easter.
¶ Prophetic Holy Week Invitations and Blessings
Let's jump into this first topic if that's okay. It's it's the prophetic Holy Week invitations and blessings. Can you guide us through some of these invitations that have stood out to you? Well, it's been amazing. Yeah. I think we've all felt it over the past two years. The invitation starting with that first presidency letter in April of twenty twenty three, where we just had sacrament meetings.
We were invited to raise the level of our sacred meeting to testify of Christ, to invite our friends. And that inviting us to bring the hope and peace and joy of that whole holy week. And then uh Elder Stevenson gave the talk where he said, you know, think of all the um You know, family traditions we have around Christmas. What traditions can we have around that holy week? Right. And offered that invitation.
And then finally, I was so struck by President Nelson in October of 2024. Right. Inviting us to study the atonement of Jesus. every week for the rest of our lives. That was powerful. As I look back at the early days of the church, we're talking April 3rd, 1836.
Joseph Smith, the the dedication of the Kirtland Temple with with Oliver Cowdery have this experience where they actually see their resurrected savior. And the Lord introduces himself in section one hundred and ten and teaches us a little bit more about him. We can get to that a little bit, but I just think This incredible celebration that is tied to the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And now we have these prophetic invitations.
Yeah, I I I so appreciated Elder Stevenson. I have wondered that myself. So often people will ask me, What is my favorite, you know, holiday? And I love Christmas and I love the Fourth of July, but I just love Easter. I have always loved Easter. I just think it's it's just such a peaceful, happy, sacred time, you know? And I appreciate that, you know, he's not asking that we commercialize it, but that we focus on the saviors. I I love that invitation that you're talking about.
I also appreciate, as you said, that that plea from our prophet, that we study the atonement of Jesus Christ every week for the rest of our lives. I I'm I'm wondering a little bit here. when we're studying that, what are some of the things that you have learned? We're gonna talk about a little bit more about how to study. But what have you learned, Susan, as you have focused on Christ and his atonement? What what are some principles of the gospel that you have learned from that?
Well, I remember when I first when I heard President Nelson issue that invitation, I thought, How am I gonna remember to do that every week? Sunday, you know, my scripture study and focus on the Sabbath kind of starts with partaking of the sacrament. That starts us right in reflecting on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his blessings in our lives. And
So I thought, if I can start and and of course Sunday's the day of the resurrection, you know, kind of the culmination of his life and his suffering and the cross and Gethsemane, that was on Sunday. So Sunday for me has taken on even more meaning. Uh that's just become a wonderful day for me to study and reflect on the atonement of Jesus. Susan, you brought up such an important point, I think. Easter is one of those few holidays where we actually celebrate on the same
day of the week. I love that we celebrate Easter on the Sabbath. I just love that it's always on the Sabbath, at least in the United States. Right? Yes. I I just love that that's our focus that we can wake up and regardless of what we're doing, we're we're going to go
church we're going to partake of the sacrament of Jesus Christ or perhaps sometimes it may be general conference weekend. And we see when that happens, these leaders of the church are just focusing on resurrection and Jesus Christ and his atonement. It's just such a beautiful A beautiful time. You mentioned Elder Stevenson. I want to read this quote, this invitation that he's given to us. He says
We should be taking steps to celebrate Easter in creative new ways in art, literature, children's games, poetry, music, dance, festivals, bells, special concerts. This is our greatest festival, he says. Take Christmas away and in biblical terms you lose two chapters at the front of Matthew and Luke, nothing else. Take Easter away, and you don't have a New Testament. You don't have a Christianity.
That is just such a powerful invitation and understanding of how important this this sacred day is. I'd I'd like to jump into that maybe a little bit with you and regarding these prophetic promises. How have you tied faith, hope, and charity to Easter? Yes, I think it's a beautiful connection. Uh I wanted to make a comment about this previous statement too, also. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the resurrection, Easter celebration.
changes and elevates our view because there are many people who look to Jesus and his teachings. These are great ways to live. We should love our enemies. We should forgive others. They look at the Sermon on the Mount. These are great, he was a great teacher. But that weekend from Friday to Sunday took all of that and elevated it. He's the Son of God. He does things. No teacher. He does things no great sermons can do. He over. completely changing an element
You know, there's that talk from Elder Oaks that just he he has is talking about a young woman who says, you know, what has Jesus Christ done for me? Mm and I think both of us can just simply say everything. What hasn't he done? He's he's given all, he's offering all, and he desires to give all. He's made everything possible. Everything that is important is made possible through Jesus Christ.
So I I love that reminder that you just said he's he's not merely a teacher, he's a capital T teacher if anything else, right? And he's a master teacher. Yes. But that the he's so much more than even that. Yes. So thank you for that incredible reminder. What have you learned, Susan, regarding and and talking about Christ and remembering how important he is, what have you learned regarding faith, hope, and charity from from studying the atonement of Jesus Christ?
Yeah. Yes, I thought as we act upon these invitations now and we we've all studied the atonement of Christ, but it's kind of like President Nelson's invited us to increase our learning of Christ in the temple. He's in entreating us to increase our study of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ in the scriptures, in the temple, wherever we are. That increases our faith in him.
We've been encouraged to not just say faith. I mean, I can have a lot of faith and a lot of things that let me down, but Christ will not let me. Um and so when we're when our faith becomes more sure in him, that gives us hope. I can go through hard things. I can have unanswered questions. I can I can feel like I'm in the mist and I don't really see my way forward. But I have hope in the world.
Susan, th you you just brought uh the song Gethsemane to my mind and I think it's brought to my mind because we as a family, you know, when we when our little girls were adopted, um they had they had had some interesting experiences before we had met them, before they became our daughters. And I remember them learning the song Gethsemane when they were just so young, four and six, that the song was just coming out. It hadn't it hadn't been sung yet at general conference.
But we were teaching them this song and there is this phrase Yeah, Jesus climbed the hill. I'm gonna read this this this. Jesus climbed the hill to the garden still. His steps were heavy and slow. Love and prayer took him there to the place only he could go. Gethsemane, Jesus loves me. So he went willingly to Gethsemane, he felt all that was sad, wicked or bad, all the pain we would ever know.
While his friends were asleep, he fought to keep his promise made long ago. Gethsemane Jesus loves me. So he went willingly to Gethsemane, the hardest thing that ever was done, the greatest pain that ever was known, the biggest battle that ever was won. This was done by Jesus and The fight was won by Jesus. Gethsemane, Jesus loves me. So he gave his gift to me in Gethsemane. Gethsemane, Jesus loves me. So he gives his gift to me from Gethsemane. I remember talking to to one of my daughters and
in her very young child experience that was too much for most children, her focusing on this. And I remember her just simply saying, He suffered for me, he understands me. I just remember at this point. tender moment as the girls were were learning this song and frankly, you know, it was during ti the times of Covid. So it was just us, our little f our little family learning, you know, songs and the scriptures and things together.
But I'll I'll just never forget the eye opening and tender experience of our oldest daughter just He understands, Mom. Like he and she knew. She knew he understood. The other song that I I just love that could be an Easter song or any song anytime about Jesus Christ is is I will walk with Jesus. And that phrase again, um, he will never leave me. There are some truths that you're talking about regarding our faith in Jesus Christ. These are some principles that are so so well taught.
And of course with y with your calling, I they're coming to my mind also And just thinking about the the faith and the hope that comes from really understanding the atonement of Jesus Christ and these promised blessings that that we are given and and maybe even sometimes Just take for granted, sometimes as I look through my own my own daughter's eyes, I I can see the reality of How important? Yeah. Yes. Chrysotomatus.
I love that you're bringing this up because sometimes when we think about the invitation from our prophet to study we think about diving into Isaiah or the Doctrine of Covenants or the Book of Mormon. We think, now how can I do that with my children? Yeah. And you've just shown us one of the most powerful Through these beautiful primaries, They have taken something really hard to talk about, which is what happened guest Sunday.
And put it in language that is so understandable for children and for all of us. Yes. When those children, that choir sang in general conference in October of 2024, I don't think anybody breathes. When they sang, That pierced our souls. It is important for adults to really dig in. I was reading in Jesus the Christ this week in preparation for this.
However, or and whatever the whatever. And therefore. As we think about teaching our children or even our even ourselves to reflect on the simplicity. can it be even more powerful. Um, in that one short song that probably takes what, two minutes to sing. The phrase Jesus loves me is sung four times. So no matter what we know about what happened in Gethsemane, we know why. We know the why. And he did it for you, for me.
And because he did it, he does, he understands it was a hard fight. And our children think of them going to school. There's hard stuff at school. There's hard stuff. And they know, okay, Jesus has been through hard things. He's gonna walk with me. He's going to help me.
¶ Studying and Teaching Christ's Atonement
You know, Susan, this this you've you've so gently brought us into this next topic of studying and also in teaching Christ atonement. We've talked about those invitations and promised blessings and you've tied in that charity too, which, you know we receive the blessings of charity as we come unto Christ. We become more grateful for him and we act more like him. It's it's hard to know someone at at the at the extent of studying someone's life weekly as President Nelson has invited us to do.
and not not become more like him, not recognize the need to to stretch and to grow and to repent and to exercise more faith. I know in my personal life as I have studied Christ and his atonement, that I yearn to become not just to learn about him, but to become like him. I I can see the gap sometimes. And it's not a it's not a naughty gap. It's not a it's not a you're in trouble gap. It's not a, you know, a a demeaning gap. It's the divine discontent gap.
Where I just wanna stretch so much more because I see and I think more importantly than even the words on the pages you're discussing. It's the spirit confirming and the spirit guiding and stretching and saying There's so much more. It's it's the president it's the president, Hinckley, you know, stand a little taller, you know, you can do a little bit better. It's a gentle invite to to our fulfilling of divine potential, right?
Yeah. You you talked about one one area and you're talking about music uh in teaching children and others. What other what other I thoughts or ideas do you have? Playing off this idea that that children's music or even the hymns t can take things that might seem complex or hard and bring it right down to our level.
Sometimes when we think of studying the scriptures, we think of chapters and chapters. But what about one sentence? Listen to this one that we all know super well from the Doctrine and Covenant. Remember, the worth of souls is great in And we think about ourselves or our children as they're going to school.
Their worth often gets a battering, doesn't it? Oh, absolutely. You know, the way children treat them. Maybe they didn't do well on the spelling test. Maybe their worth is tied up into if they got the winning goal in the soccer game. And we can teach them right from Doctrine and Covenant, section 18, verse 10, have a real conversation. The worth of your soul is great to God. And then you ask why. And then look at verse 11. For behold, the Lord your redeemer.
Suffered death in the flesh. So he suffered death. He suffered the pains of all men. So the pains when you're sick, sad, sorry, hurt, whatever. that all men might repent and come unto. He's not excluding anyone. And he's risen again from the from the dead. We're going to be resurrected. So right in those few verses we can talk to our children about your worth is great because God, Jesus, Suffered for you.
Because he loved you and you can come unto him always. Your worth is not affected by the spelling test, the soccer goal, the mean kid in your class. Yes. Your worth is set. And what a difference that can make for them. You know, Susan, you you maybe think of another another thing that I have I have learned that I see in my own teaching that perhaps I don't take advantage of as much as I could sometimes. It's it's through pictures.
And even through imagining, you know, sections section one hundred and ten of the Doctrine Covenants is one that President Nelson has talked to us about uh recently and studying. And I think about Christ introducing himself in that section. So maybe you know a section that may help children but all of us better understand who Christ is. This is his own autobiography. He is he is describing himself and there are a number of times in the scriptures, but the doctrine covenant.
It's him speaking over and over again. But in section one hundred and ten I I love this. He says, We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit before us, and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold and color like amber. His eyes were as a flame of fire, the hair of his head was white like the pure snow, his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun, and his voice was the sound of the rushing of the great waters of the world.
Even the voice of Jehovah saying, so here's his autobiography. I am the first and the last. I am he who liveth. I am he who was slain. I am your advocate with the Father. Just just that like you said, just that one verse and then picturing that. picturing you know, recently I had the opportunity to speak in the Kirtland Temple and I had such an impression as I turned to say he you know, he spoke right here. And I just it was an overcoming feeling of
He spoke right here. And then I just thought, this is describing what he looked like. We don't have to have been there. At this on this date of April third, on that Easter day. Yes. Because Christ has explained himself. This is what he said. This is how other people explained and described him and this is how he described himself. I love in verse five as well where he just says, Your sins are forgiven you, and you are clean before me, therefore lift up your heads and rejoice.
I I love that we can see that and even perhaps picture that that could be something for for children to do, but even adults to do. To to draw a picture in your mind or to I just don't have those skills, but I can imagine. I can't draw what I imagine, but I can imagine. And just to take a little bit of time to ponder and even ask the Lord in prayer, Heavenly Father.
Please teach me more of of thy son. Help me understand him better. Help me understand his attributes, his feelings, his and and those things the Lord the Lord wants us. to come unto him and to know him. I agree with you so much about the Doctrine and Covenants is so much it's directly the voice of the Lord God Jehovah. speaking to Joseph Smith in our day, not two thousand years ago or four thousand years ago in the Old Testament, but in the last couple of hundred years, yeah.
The other thing that can give us all confidence, I love in Doctrine and Covenants, section 45, verses 3 through 5. I'm going to turn there really quick, Susan, to be with you. Uh-huh. And this is, again, Jesus speaking. And again, talking about our worth, here's something else that shows our worth. So here is Jesus and he says, listen to him, meaning myself, meaning Christ.
Who is the advocate with the father? And we can talk to our families and think what an advocate does. There's someone who's gonna help you and who is pleading your cause before him. Okay, so maybe I'm, you know, 12 years old. I realized I got in a tricky situation yesterday. I told a lie. I used bad language, whatever it is, and I'm just feeling so discouraged. But here is the Savior saying about me, Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin.
in whom thou wast well pleased. Behold the blood of thy son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest, that thyself might be glorified. Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life. So when I kneel down and pray for forgiveness for, you know, telling that lie or using that bad language, I can imagine and and picture in my mind, it's not imagination.
When I'm so humble before the Lord and ask for forgiveness of that, that Jesus is helping me, going before the Father, saying, He believes on you, he believes on me. Please forgive him. Please let him. That is worth when we know the Savior is pleading our Seek forgiveness. This is so good, Susan. The the other thought that came to my that came to my mind was um the example that we can give each other uh in in you're talking about this forgiveness and this righteousness.
Yeah, I think of I think of the times when where my children have done something and how I respond. And how I respond is going to be for them, whether I like it or not, I think a direct reflection of how they see our father in heaven responding and even their even their savior. That that I need to learn how to respond better as an example of of Jesus Christ and who he is.
Um, it also reminds me of my own life growing up and incredible leaders, whether it's my parents, which were I think the probably the best of leaders, but bishops, relief society leaders, young women's teachers, primary leaders. And how they respond um to us. We I think we Not not even necessarily intentionally, but especially as we are in our most formative years, we're looking to adults often and learning who Christ is by those who are most influential in our lives. I think of this
wonderful primary music leader that I had growing up. Um And and the music she taught us and the kindness that she showed us. And even when we were ambunctious and Susan, we were I mean, we were. We were so I remember she had this thermometer that would go up and down to help us to see how noisy we were being, you know. She was our pri I think she was probably the primary teacher for twenty years. Laverne Miles was her name. I just love her to this day.
But I think she helped me come into Christ by the music she taught us But more importantly by how she treated us as she was leading the music. She was so Christ like I think of my young women's leaders, you know, the ones that Again, maybe in some of my obnoxious days where where they they came to me. They worked with with us as as youth. They
Y they they showed you your worst. They showed us our worst. You were worse their effort. Yes, and I think that that's one of the things that we can do as we are learning and teaching. You know, we we have to be the examples It's that phrase, um, live so that those who know you but do not know him will want to know him because they know you.
I think one of the greatest ways that we can bring people to Christ and teach of Christ and his atonement is to act like him. Do you know growing up I always thought of the atonement as what happened in Gethsemane? I kind of separated the atonement's in Gethsemane and then he died on the cross and the resurrection. But I think the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ encompasses Gethsemane and the cross, his life, his teachings. Um, yeah, his triumphant uh his his mission in the spirit world.
So when we're teaching our children, especially on this sacred week, but hopefully all the time, that Jesus did two things no one else did. Because he was perfect, he could suffer. Because I can't suffer for yours. Right. No. You can't suffer for mine. But because he was sinless, he could. And that's and then because he was part God. From his father and then from his mother Mary, he could lay down his life and he could take it.
And both those gifts are offered to all of us. One resurrection is given freely to everyone living on the earth. The other we want to come. to accept his offering and suffering. But I think for children, we have to be careful too with our young children who have not been baptized yet, who are younger than eight. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ paid for their sins. They do not sin. They don't need to repent.
We teach them about repentance and how, but they're up until that age when they're cannibal, it's mistakes. It's just learning. It's a learning. and then teach them as they become accountable that they do already they've been taught. To repent. But what gratitude this savior that our children are saved? Any child who passes away before that age of eight and a cage of accountability.
Is saved in the celestial kingdom of God. It's pretty remarkable. And you think of over the eons of time the number of children who S Susan, I really really appreciate you talking about children and and the need for for baptism at the age of eight and accountability. So not just children, but anyone right being accountable regardless of the age. There are some who struggle perhaps with their with their um mental
ability to comprehend and be agents unto themselves. And there's also an accountability for them. That th there are some who actually don't need to be baptized even as adults, depending on their ability to make choices, right? Use their agency well. But I also appreciate we are talking about children being baptized and and I I was thinking of of uh one of the primary songs that sometimes I think that the the doctrine could be misunderstood. The song When I am baptized.
My sins are washed away, my Uh just to clarify on this point that when we are baptized, when children are baptized, their sins are not being washed away because they never could sin, right? I just want to clarify that. That's important. We sing that s it's a beautiful song. I I love the song and I love what they're what teaching and the symbolism behind it. But to remember uh to be wise in teaching our children that they they haven't sinned and so their sins are not being washed away.
I think to the second point in there is the the water is not washing away the sin. Frankly, they didn't sin in the first place. But water doesn't wash away sins. The atonement of Jesus Christ, Christ is the one. Christ is the one who is in a sense washing away the sins symbolically, right? And that's what's happening in baptism. The water is a symbol of what Christ has done for us. Yes. Is is that is that correct in saying that? It is. It is. And it's wonderful to teach the children too that
that being immersed in the water and coming up is is symbolic of the resurrection of Christ. So it very much ties into Easter. And the other thing the children can think about is when they come up, it's like they're starting a new life. Yes. A new life uh as a disciple of Christ, as a child of the covenant. Uh, as someone who has just made, yeah, a covenant to remember him and keep his commandments, it's like you're starting a new life. Um, and what a joyful
feeling that is. It is. And then if we can remind our children, regardless of when they got baptized, and remind ourselves that that joy that we felt as we were coming out of baptism. I remember on my mission, we we baptized this gentleman, Armando was his name. He was in his eighties and I remember him coming out of the water. The water's just dripping he's coming out joyful. He just puts his hands up and above his head and he's just
Did it, we did it. And he was just he was so happy. He and he as he came out of the water he said, I have waited eighty years to be clean. It was just this moment of Joy. I mean, it just permeated everything. And I I think if we could Take the sacrament on Sundays. Again I'm clean and then we repent. Again I'm clean and and again, what has Jesus done for me? Given me joy, given me this opportunity. And I think even during this time of the sacrament, as Elder Carrot has reminded us so recently.
Let's not stay in Gethsemane, you know, let's go beyond and not to minimize Gethsemane, because Gethsemane is critical, the cross is critical, but the resurrection, and I think that that's that's one of the reasons we've been taught we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We don't focus on on the cross as much. We appreciate the cross. We we are so grateful, but we focus on the resurrected savior. We we focus on the savior who has resurrected and who is alive and we're coming to him. Yeah. Yeah. I love this. the um the document proclamation uh produced by our uh Horma the Twelve and our first presidency called the Living Christ. It's not the cross, it's not the empty tomb. It's Christ who is living and he's a part of our lives. He walks.
I love that vision of the man coming up because that brings both parts of the Easter story together. Yes. The overcoming of sin. brother coming up to his new life. A little not a literal resurrection, but a but a little a bit of a precursor to that glorious day when he starts anew. You're reminding me, I'm thinking of every covenant we make.
Whether it's baptism or our temple covenants, the initiatory, the endowment, the the ceilings, everyone is symbolic of a new life. We're making new covenants. We're we're the Lord is helping us. transform and become more like him as we make the covenant and then more especially of course keep that covenant. But the symbol of a new life is we make that covenant with with Christ. And the more we are making that covenant, I c I can't help but but tie the temple to Easter. You know, I mean
President Nelson has focused so much on the temple and we have focused so much on the temple on on this podcast and on the beauty of the priesthood and and what that does for us. God's power, you know, to to resurrect and to use his power to bless the world and and the beauty.
I mean temples could be a symbol of Easter all over the world, you know, that the resurrected savior, and maybe that's something we can teach our children and others is one of the most beautiful representations of of Easter is. The temple, that's a symbol of Christ is alive and you can find him in the temple today. He is a living Christ. I love that.
And that and that reminds me too of another favorite sections in the Dark Covenant, which is one hundred and thirty eight. You're taking us way to the end. I'm taking it to the end. Susan, we're in April. We're in April. We're just we're gonna jump right there because please when we're Teaching our children and ourselves, so we think about sin and the joy we feel and the peace when we feel like we've been forgiven. There's also that we have love we all know we're all going to die.
We all have this understanding of the plan of salvation, but when it happens in our lives, that's a hard reality. Yeah. Spouses, parents, children, dear friends. And so there's that hard reality of of death. Mm-hmm. What a gift to us that President Joseph F. who suffered so much death in his own family, yes. So not only for the members of the church during that World War One period and the what was the epidemic then? Was it typhoid? I can't remember.
But where so many people worldwide passed away. Maybe it was flu. Yeah. That's funny that you say that. I wanted to say too, but I was gonna look at that and Yeah, nineteen seventeen. But then he had lost. four or five family members. And so he's sitting in his room and he's pondering on the great It's what we're talking about today. And then the Spirit brings to mind this scripture in the uh first Peter.
that about Christ preaching to those in prison. And as he's reflecting on this, this marvelous vision. And he sees that period when when those in Jerusalem were so sad, Jesus, their Savior, is locked in this tomb with the great stone. But he's in the spirit world, and the people are rejoicing. They're filled with joy and gladness. Verse 15.
Verse 16, they're assembled awaiting the advent of the Summit of God. So there's sorrow on earth, you know, in the Nephite nation with all of the earthquakes and everything, the day the time, three hours of darkness in this world. And you see the spirit world, they're so excited. And verse 17, or verse 18, while this vast multitude waited and conversed, rejoicing in the hour of their deliverance from the chains of death, the Son of God. God appeared.
declaring liberty to the captives who had been faithful. I mean it's incredible that joy. And then he uh arranges that great missionary force. And in verse thirty F but behold, from among the righteous he organized his forces and appointed messengers to the clothed with power and authority and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness. And right here in my margin, I wrote Brute.
Twelve, twenty-eight, sixteen. And I think for children, for all of us. We can both hold. the sorrow we had Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, all the apostles sorrowing. We can hold that. It was sorrowful. He was not Physically walking and talking with them. We hold that sorrow. And we can know on the other side of the veil, right here from Doctrine and Covenants 138, our loved ones are engaged in this great work of bringing light to those.
of darkness. And so often since Bruce has passed away I've realized we can have both. Both are true. the fact that we sorrow over the loss of our loved ones is not an indication of lack of faith. It's an indication that we're sorrowing for those that love them. And I know there's that beautiful Versus in the doctrine and covenants. In fact, I could go there really quick. Is that forty two? That's forty-two. Okay.
I appreciate you bringing that up, that section, because I remember when my parents especially had passed away, my my mother was was the first to go and I sorrowed It was so hard to lose her. And I remember reading this and President Nelson actually has a statement on there where he says, We should sorrow. This is forty two verse forty five. I'll read this if that's okay. He says in verse forty four.
and the elders of the church two or more shall be called, and shall pray for and lay their hands upon them in my name. And if they die, they shall die unto me, and if they live, they shall live unto me. Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die. and more especially for those that have not hoped for a glorious resurrection. We should weep
¶ Moving Forward with Hope and Faith in Jesus Christ
Yeah. What a beautiful thing to be told that we should weep for those who have passed on. And I you know what I love the p the emphasis of President Nelson in in a number of ways, but especially in reference to the temple we don't hear the word die or who have dead as mu who have died as much. We we we just remember the name and we're doing work for people. I l I love that. I I have a very difficult time to this day.
Of referring to anyone that I love in past tense. They're not dead to me. They're they're very much alive. Yes. And and I you know, President. President Holland has talked so much about angels. I I get I can talk about my parents passing. It's the Zelda Maxwell says it's a comma. It's it's a description of what happened to them in their experience in trying to become heavenly beings and and and fulfilling the measure of their creation and fulfilling the plan of happiness.
But they're not past tense. They're they're they're so alive, so with, so so progressing. I death death doesn't seem the right word anymore, you know? They're And anyone imagine you probably feel some of that with with your husband and others that you love. They're not gone. And it's through that great and atoning sacrifice of the Savior that I can pray to my heavenly. Sometimes when I'm going into difficult situations and I just ask, can Bruce walk with me through
Yeah. And that's through Christ. He is not in the grave. He is in the great world of the spirits carrying on the work. And he does our departed loved ones love us and care about us just as much. And that's all through Christ. I I couldn't agree more. I shouldn't say this, but I'm going to. I I had a dear friend one time say to me as I was driving in Boston.
Your driving is a testimony to all of us that angels really do live. Oh and they really do exist because had they not you would have been dead years ago. Oh there are angels that are helping you, clearly, because you would be causing accidents all over the place and you would not have made it.
You know, you laugh at that at that, but I actually am a not even a firm believer. I know that there are angels that have that have and are walking with us and that are guiding President Nelson has said angels are on your left and your right even in October twenty twenty four.
These promises that these angels are with us. This is because again of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that we have angels with us today. You know, you pointed out section one thirty eight, and maybe we can finish this topic. We've we've talked about this on studying and teaching.
But you did bring out section one hundred thirty eight and I think this is one of the greatest sections to understand how to study even how to study the atonement of Jesus Christ. It's actually very similar to Joseph Smith's first vision. I mean it's almost like again the the book ends. Yeah.
Ponder he says he was pondering upon the scriptures. So that's these action words. And are we pondering upon these scriptures as we're studying Christ and his atonement or what other other things we're studying? But the pondering is a critical element of understanding Christ and his atonement. Verse two, you mentioned this reflecting upon the atoning sacrifice. I I just simply testify that Christ does teach or Heavenly Father does teach through his spirit.
Regarding the atonement of Jesus Christ as we reflect on it, I have learned for myself. as I reflected on the atonement of Jesus Christ and allowed the Spirit to teach me. I love as he continues on verse three. He's he's focusing and keeping himself focused on the love of the Father. So he's focusing on these positive elements. I love that he's focusing on this obedience. So he's kind of he's pondering and thinking and reflecting and he's he's staying focused.
One of the things that I love to do when I'm studying the scriptures and I'll just throw this out for anybody who needs it. I I keep a piece of paper by my side and some people maybe use their phone and I I am an easily distracted person.
So besides turning my phone off or silencing it, I also keep a piece of paper and all the different ideas that come into my mind that are not urgent by the spirit, but I just know they're distractions, I just take note of them and by the sometimes I have a whole list of all the things that I need to do.
Yes. That I'm not gonna do right then because I know they're distractions. Otherwise I will never read more than a couple of words right or even spend a couple of minutes because I will have all these things I need to do right in that moment.
But I if you continue on and and verse eleven, he ponders even more. So he's continuing this and he's stopping and he's pondering and he's studying, then he's reading more and he's reflecting. So I think as we just go through this this section, for those who are doing this in the future, or even for now, to look at how this prophet is also receiving guidance and revelation and learning. And I will just point this out because we are on this women's podcast. I love in verse thirty nine.
That he sees Glorious Mother Eve. I love that he has this sacred experience. And he says, and with many of her faithful daughters. It's just so much is being shown to him as he is reflecting on this moment. And because of that, he's able to teach us these important truths. Not only what he learned, but how he learned it. And I love that his difficult experience. didn't turn him away from God, but helped his heart was so tender and so broken.
that he was able to receive light and knowledge, he may not have been able to receive ten years earlier. Yeah. Before all this. So for us too, we have things that We that are hard. Yeah. We can't explain. situations we go through, can we take that opportunity? To help those circumstances help us be more humble, more open, more seeking, more pondering. We can receive greater light and knowledge, greater.
That is so beautiful, Susan, and such a great reminder. You are also reminding me of President Iring. He has a wonderful talk on and thus we see helping a student in a moment of doubt. And he talks about some struggles that s that that youth and young adults have and and frankly all of us may have at times.
But one of the things that he says to teachers, it's specifically to teachers, and he says in that talk, in all that you could do, and answering all their questions and helping them resolve their concerns and everything else, he says, the most important thing you can do. is help them find Christ and experiment on his atonement. Help them come to Christ. Not to you.
Not to something else, help them come to Christ. And in that talk, he talks about some of those things that we can do to help others come into Christ, because Christ will make himself known. Christ will be the author of of our faith and the finisher of our faith. He he will He will fulfill that promise that if we come unto him, he will come draw near unto me, as he says in section eighty-eight of the doctrine of covenants. I will draw near unto you, right? He will do that.
That's something you're talking about here is in these most difficult moments, ourselves and other people bring us back to back to Christ. That is the true balm of Gilead. You know, nothing else, nothing else is going to suffice or quench our thirst.
Beautiful reminder. Susan, this this has been fantastic in looking at studying and teaching about Christ and his atonement, especially in context of of Easter. Is there anything else that you would like to share with us, even in the Doctrine Covenants or in other scriptures as well? Yes, as we're teaching children, we can follow the example of the Savior. When the resurrected Christ appeared to those in the Nephites in the land baptist. In third Nephi chapter 26, verse 14.
It says, and it came to pass that he, meaning Jesus, did teach and minister unto the children of the multitude, of whom hath been spoken. Christ did loose their tongue. And they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, as we teach our precious children, the things of Christ, as we minister to them as Christ would, they can bear witness. You're reminding me once again of how important that kitchen, front room, living area of Lucy and Joseph.
It's almost like she has taught him. She's set an example for him. She's asking him questions. And because of that, we get one of the most beautiful phrases. I I have learned for myself. And then he tells us all these things he's learned. But a lot of that is the teaching that happened before that. From his mother and setting that environment and from his father, but setting that environment in the home where he can be learning for himself. Yes. Right?
Susan I have uh a last minute, maybe a little bit of an impromptu guess. One of the most important guests in the whole world. that I would like to bring to our table. Are you okay if I bring one of my all time favorite guests? Yeah. I try not to have favorites, but I do have some favorites. Yes. So I'm I have my eleven year old Allie and I'm pulling her she didn't know that I was gonna do this, so I'm pulling her out of nowhere.
And speaking of of the Easter season and learning and teaching, there is one thing I know about Ali. I have asked her this question for four years. I'm gonna do my best to not be emotional. But speaking of learning from children. Here's your question, Allie. What is the most important moment of your life? Um, when we are sealed in the temple. And why? Um, because our family can be together forever. What does that mean to you to have an eternal family?
That I'll be able to see you again. No matter what. Yeah. Right? Always. I'm never gonna I'm never gonna be away. And that's one of the things that Jesus Christ teaches us. Ali Susan and I were just talking a little bit earlier about the song Gethsemane and it says Jesus loves me. I remember another one of your favorite songs. If you remember I Will Walk with Jesus.
Oh I remember one of your favorite lines. Do you wanna give it or do you want me to give it? You. Okay. It is He will never leave me, even when I fall. Am I right? Is that one of your favorite lines? Because you know how important it is that people don't leave. You know how important it is that we love each other. And through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we never have to be worried about being left.
Ever again, right? Yeah. Yeah. Ali understands that to a level many don't. And she gets it. And that's why an eternal family is so important. Ali has taught me the last four years the importance Of following Jesus Christ and the importance of eternal families and the promise to never leave and to love. Thank you, Ali. Yeah. We're gonna keep you up here anyway. Okay. Well, and not only will your family never leave you, but the Savior, Jesus, will never leave you. Yeah. Ever.
And that's one of the things that I've done. That's one of the things I remember us talking to Ali and Jane about when we were going to the temple, that there is going to be a day sometime and it's kind of a maybe a morbid discussion to have on the way to the temple and the ceiling, but we talked about You know, there there may be a day when and there will be a day likely when that and I will pass that that's part of mortality. And it's sad to think about, right?
It's a long ways away. It's a long ways away. But that's what we that's one of the things that we love teaching our children about. And that's one of the beauties of the atonement of Jesus Christ in Easter is. is Jesus Christ will never leave you. Ever. Even in that even in the Book of Mormon we were just reading in Third Nephi, when Jesus leaves the people for a time, he leaves the Holy Ghost with them. And that's one of the beauties of of you, right? You've been baptized.
Mm-hmm. And in a short period of time you're going to go to the temple and do what, Allie? Get due baptism. Another great moment you're going to have, right? It's just so exciting. You can help up other people make that covenant so they are never left and always have Christ with them. He he he yokes himself to us. I mean he he he binds himself to us when we make those covenants. Isn't that great? Susan, what do what are your thoughts on this? Yes, I love I love this.
I love thinking of the Easter weekend that we think about. But remember that triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem where he he got on a donkey and people spread the palm leaves and spread their coats down? We actually were there. You remember that alley? As you walk into that gate? Did you know That of course Jesus came in and everybody's praising him and so happy he's there, and then he goes into the temple. There were children in the temple, and this is what they said.
And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, meaning Jesus, and the children crying out in the temple saying, Hosanna to the Son of David. So children like you and James are who had been taught and who had the spirit knew that he was Jesus Christ. And they were calling that out. I'm sure you've borne your testimony too. But children have a powerful
Ability to receive the Spirit and speak by the Spirit. Thank you for all you do to strengthen your family and to strengthen all of us. No, Susan, it was actually in this very room where I heard Allie and Jane teach the gospel to us for the first time. Right? Yes. Remember? Yes. You and Jane used to when you when we first came together during the pandemic, during COVID. What did you do? I gave a talk or maybe
You you gave all of that. You gave lessons. Yeah. You bore testimony, right? Yeah. Sometimes it was just dad and I, sometimes it was our aunts and uncles. Sometimes it yeah. And sometimes it was cousins that were here during depending on the COVID. But you were teaching constantly. And I remember and I to this day how strong the spirit is and that's actually one of the reasons why we consider this this part of our home our whole home as sacred. Yeah.
Yeah, this is where we partook of the sacrament together, where you taught us so well. Those are sacred times. Thank you, Allie. Thanks for reflecting and helping us, all of us, reflect on the savior and this Easter season. Speaking of COVID, just shortly after COVID, I, as part of my uh responsibility in primary, traveled to Argentina. And we met with a family and it was a mom and dad and they had three girls.
And they're both doctors. But one of their daughters got sick with COVID and she passed away in like three days. It was so tragic. And they were doctors, but they couldn't do anything and she So we met with the family and I was talking to the parents and about their sorrow and also their faith that they had been sealed in the temple and they would be together forever. But it was kind of a sad time. But the older girl, I asked her if there's a song she would like to sing.
And she said, My favorite one I want to sing follow the. And so do you do you like that song too? So we sang the first verse and she's like, no, no, no, no. I want to sing all of them. So we we had to get on our phones and look up all the verses and we sang all of them, but That the one of the phrases in there is follow the prophet. He knows the way. He knows the way to Jesus. He knows the way to peace. He knows the way to happiness. So you could see that she was so sad she had lost her sister.
But she was bearing her testimony of the case. Christ. Christ by saying we know the way.
¶ What Have You Learned for Yourself?
Speaking of following the prophet Susan and tying in this last topic of moving forward with hope and faith in Jesus Christ, President Nelson said the following. He said, When he suffered for our sins and weaknesses, died on the cross and rose again, the Savior rewrote humanity's story.
Because of him, we do not have to deal with our frailties, sins, and fears alone. Because of him, death is not the end. Resurrection will come to all who have ever lived. Because of him, families can be together forever. Because of him, guilt becomes peace, regret becomes relief, despair becomes hope. We are given second chances, clean slates, and new beginnings.
Because of Jesus Christ, we celebrate Easter. And Easter is about peace and hope. I love that we have had these prophets over the years that have testified of Jesus Christ, the purpose of Jesus Christ. um and and the importance of the principle of moving forward uh with faith and hope as we understand Christ. I w if it's okay, I wish wanna read a couple more that I think may be good for this this season. Yes. President Nelson.
Nothing could be more fitting than to commemorate the most important event that ever occurred on this earth by worshiping the most important being who ever walked this earth. Without a redeemer's infinite atonement, not one of us would ever have hope. of ever returning to our Heavenly Father. Without his resurrection, death would be the end,
Our Savior's atonement made eternal life a possibility and immortality a reality for all. And finally, I'll read this one, although there are so many from the leaders of the church. Yes. I would like to read this one from President Oak. Today we join other Christians in celebrating the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ is a pillar of our faith.
I just I love that emphasis on Christ and and what Christ makes possible for us. It is a pillar of our Just talking about the hope and joy. I'm remembering a a favorite conference talk given many years ago by Elder Joseph Worthland. Oh yes. Entitled Sunday Will Come. And he talked about the darkness that that all of his followers felt on Friday when he hung on the cross and then he died. And of course darkness covered the earth. That was very hard.
But Sunday came, the glorious morning of the resurrection. Death was overcome. Jesus was alive and was our our prince and our king. And so he talked about in our lives we all will have Fridays. We'll all have times that are hard in our lives. But because of Christ we know that Sundays And I love knowing that no matter what, because The light will come. His spirit will feel his light. Susan, this is this is a very personal question, but I'm going to ask anyway of you.
Uh what do you imagine that day to be like when you are back again with your husband and others that have passed beyond the veil? W what what do you see? What do you feel? What what is this joy will come on the Sunday, you know, on the Sabbath day? What is How can you describe that feeling for us?
I don't know, but I'm sure there's gonna be a lot of weeping, you know, joy, right? We can cry when we're sorry. This will be crying because we're we're so happy with my parents and and other loved ones and and with Bruce. In the Book of Mormon and elsewhere in scriptures, it refers to the throne of God and how so many angels will be around just praising God night and day.
That's what we're gonna wanna do because we're going to be so grateful that now we're reunited forever. And the other thing that will be wonderful is we know that again, they're not just sitting waiting for us. They're anxiously engaged in spreading the gospel, in teaching, and growing. They're going to be even more magnificent than we remember. because they will have been growing and learning and developing uh and sharing teaching of Christ. I saw two
very different reactions when we told Allie and Jane that we were that they were going to be part of our eternal family. Do you remember Allie? Not really, but they were they were young. Ali Ali was was Well you were five turning six. Yeah, five turning six and Jane was three turning four. And I remember telling Dustin telling Allie Allie was so full of joy that she fell off her chair and cried. Oh that's joy. She literally fell off her chair and cried on the floor.
Jane was so full of joy that she just jumped off her chair, remember? And just started running around in circles. Just running and running and running. Susan, I think that's how I see us being together again. I think we're gonna have a multitude of emotions like you just mentioned. Yes. I think for me the greatest thing is just gonna be just so much gratitude and joy that I can't, you know, there
As as deep as our sorrow and losing those we love, that joy is going to supersede. Just like Alma talks about with repentance, it's it's it's going to supersede all pain, all guilt, anything that he's ever felt before is going to be overcome with his incredible joy. That's that's what I'm looking forward to. Yeah. And and the humility and the love of the savior. I I feel like it's almost like this perfect ding you know, it's this perfect sound of perfect joy, perfect love.
Perfect gratitude. All of this just this most beautiful moment when we are all together again. Yeah. Well have that joy with them and we'll want to immediately also share. Christ knowing. And I think that that's of him. Yes, and I think that's I with Christ as the center of all of that, just the gratitude we will have for him. I think we will recognize at a deeper level than we maybe even possibly can on the earth. And we'll remember and recognize and
and fall or praise or sing. I don't know how all of us will be. I I imagine I will be because of my own spiritual experiences, I think I will be uh beyond my ability to express, silently grateful with tears, you know. Anyway. Susan, thank you. When we and thank you, Allie, you've done a fantastic job, spontaneous guest entrance. Um we like to finish with reminding our listeners and us of of Joseph Smith coming back into that home of h of his parents and his home and Lucy meeting him there.
And you've been there, huh, Allie? Yeah. Yep. Yeah. Lucy meeting Joseph there and then Lucy just asking Joseph how he's doing and Joseph responds, I have learned for myself. So we like to just ask this question, Susan. What have you learned for yourself? You know, I've been reflecting on a question that Elder Stevenson asked. He said the resurrection transformed the lives of those who witnessed it. Should it not transform? And I asked her.
How has my study of the Savior's birth, life, experience in Gethsemane, on the cross, in the spirit world, and his resurrection? I think I would say in two ways, well, many ways, but two I'll mention here. One is profound humility. He did that for me. He was perfect. He was sinless. But he chose to suffer the effects, the spiritual pain. of my mistakes and my sins and all people's. He was so humbled as he was being humiliated, you know, in the court of Pilate and before Caiaphas and Anthony.
But knowing that he was doing his father's will, he was so willing. So I asked myself, Am I willing? And being willing as part of our What an honor that such a being, so majesty, you know, so full of majesty, God in heaven, that he invites me to be part of him and to take him. So it's the humility and then the love I feel for him for doing that for me and for all of to provide joy, eternal joy.
Susan, thank you. And thank you for your humble and real testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ and his transformation in your life. Thank you for being such an incredible example to all of us. We've we've seen you. We, Allie and I have seen you on on T V. We've seen you speaking at general conference. Um and we appreciate
your incredible sacrifice in preparing those talks and also for a a life of service and accepting these callings even if you just have your feeling of having just a little bit to offer. Uh I I see in your life and the lives of so many other women and men and children who are willing to put their lives in the hands of the Lord and just say yes.
And what the Lord is able to do with them. We are in the process, as Joseph Smith talks about in that great King Follow discourse of of learning to become God's ourselves. And I appreciate your example of doing that. And I appreciate most importantly the example and the atonement of Jesus Christ that makes it possible for us to have what we wanted premortally, which was to have eternal life. to live with and like our heavenly parents and with our families for eternity.
So thank you. And we would like to thank all of you as well for joining us today on Grounded. This has been a fantastic discussion. We hope that you have time to reflect and ponder and think about study.
Uh do what you need to do to focus your attention, even rivet your attention, as President Nelson says, on the atonement of Jesus Christ. We testify that he does live, we testify that he is resurrected, we testify Hãy subscribe cho kênh La School Để không bỏ lỡ những video hấp dẫn And help other people.