i know that my redeemer lives

Today was fantastic. Can I just say, I am so incredibly blessed. It never ceases to amaze me how much God has blessed me with in my life. I am so humbled today, and everyday, by the love my Savior has for me.

 

Easter is such a great day. I love watching the kids run around looking for eggs while spreading chocolate, the smell of sweets, and childhood across their soft cheeks. I love watching them get so excited about the Easter bunny coming to their house, and I love the yummy desserts we had at my Grammy's for Easter.

 

But today was the most memorable, valuable Easter Sunday I have ever had, and I will never EVER forget it.

Kady and I woke up and went to church with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. My aunt Cindy gave the lesson in Young Women's and it hit me really hard. We also had the missionaries over tonight and it was so great to talk to people who are close in age with me, but aren't stuck in high school things that don't matter. I was so involved in the gospel today- it made me really think about this holiday and what it's all about.

 

Jesus Christ died for us.

 He suffered for our sins.

He felt every single emotion we ever have.

 

That statement is something people in the LDS religion hear a lot; we BELIEVE it, we SAY it, we KNOW it, but do we really REALIZE what it means, or how much it means? I think half the time, it's something we just throw out there and don't really apply to our lives very much.

 

This week, I have thought about my Savior a lot. This past week marks the week that the Savior suffered in the garden of Gethsemane. Christ suffered so many things, not only for me, but for every single person on this earth. I think of the darkest times in my life: when my aunt Lorrin overdosed and I dealt with my first encounter with death, when my sweet boy lost his battle to cancer, or when Vance took his life on New Year's Eve 2012. The amount of pain I felt through those times was indescribable- I really didn't think I would make it through those days of my life. Jesus Christ felt every feeling I ever felt at those times. Not only did He feel my sorrow and cry my tears, but He carried every burden I have ever carried on His back. Every mistake I have ever made, every stupid sin I have committed, every moment of guilt I felt for those things, Christ felt those feelings, and He felt them VOLUNTERILY. How incredible is that, that someone would volunteer himself to take away every single person in the universe's pains and sorrows, just to assure that we have the best Plan of Salvation we can, and that we can live in paradise with our Father again.

 

The Savior died for us. And before he died, after he emotionally suffered, he physically suffered. He was beaten, bruised, humiliated, ridiculed. The Son of God took all of these things upon himself, for me. For every soul that has ever entered this world. And as if that weren't enough, He was nailed to a cross and died a slow, painful death. FOR US. And the craziest part? He forgave the people who did all of this to them.

 

"Forgive them; for they know not what they do."

 

THAT is pure love. There is no love more real than the love that Christ has for his brothers and sisters, and for his Father. But this holiday is not centered around His death. Jesus Christ was resurrected 3 days after he was crucified. THAT is the reason we celebrate Easter- because He lives! Because the Son of God is real, He is true, He overcame the biggest trial anyone has ever gone through in mortality.

 

Every time I think, "No one knows how I'm feeling, no one can relate to me, no one knows how hard it is to deal with this", I can remember that there is one person who knows every feeling I've felt- and it is Jesus Christ. I am NEVER alone. I am always comforted, I can always shut the door, kneel on my knees and ask for strength, ask for forgiveness, or simply ask for someone to cry to.

 

I am so blessed to have the knowledge of this true gospel, that my church is true, that I have a brother and Savior Jesus Christ who knows me better than I know myself. I'm so blessed to have been raised in such an amazing family, to have the most incredible mommy I could ever ask for and the most fun dad anyone could have. I'm so blessed to have the cutest siblings and to have such a special relationship with every member in my family. I'm blessed to have my aunts and uncles who give me advice about anything when I need it, to be examples to me of the type of mother I want to be and family I want to raise when the time comes. I'm so grateful for my grandparents on both sides of the family, and their example of unconditional, timeless love that I strive to have one day. I don't know why I am so blessed, but I really have so much to be grateful for and I am truly humbled every time I think of these things.

The church is true, peeps. It really truly is. If you don't know this, PLEASE look into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by clicking HERE. I have been a member of this church my whole life, but I have recently been fully converted and my life changed completely afterwards. This church brings me so much true happiness, a happiness that I want everyone to feel one day.

 

Sorry I just wrote y'all a talk right there, but I am just so blessed. I want everyone to realize how incredibly blessed they are as well, and that there is ALWAYS someone who knows exactly what they are going through. Pray tonight. Thank God for your blessings, ask Him for guidance, thank Him for sending His Son for YOU.

Goodnight, beauties.