We Talk of Christ!

Elder Stevenson

Written by April Giauque

Jesus Loves You!

When anyone tries to fly home, there are numerous security checks. Elder Steenson and his wife found themselves in this situation, yet they still needed to get home. The clerk checking all their passports did it very routinely, mechanically, and stone-faced for Elder Stevenson. However,  when it was his wife’s turn, she handed over the passport, and the security officer changed from stone-faced to smiling. 

They both passed everything and found themselves on the flight. Elder Stevenson asked his wife what had happened. Her “pass it along” card, with a picture of Christ on it, fell into her passport, and with the image of Christ smiling at her, it changed everything!  Elder Stevenson, for the remainder of that day and often since, contemplated that sweet, simple moment with awe and has rejoiced in the glorious effect of the Light of Christ upon God’s children.

If we stick to the scriptures and, in particular, the Book of Mormon, this scripture really stands out: “We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, [and] we prophesy of Christ.” Living prophets are helping us to center our hearts, ears, and eyes more fully on Christ, and they do so each time they address the members of the Church. 

A significant shift is the Celebration of Easter as a season, not just a holiday. As members of the church, we are focusing on families with an emphasis on Jesus Christ, celebrating events such as Palm Sunday and Holy Week through readings from the New and Old Testaments, as well as the Book of Mormon. Images and statues of the Christus and images of the empty tomb, the resurrected Savior appearing in the garden outside the tomb, and the Savior’s appearance to the Nephites.

Easter allows us to honor both the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the literal and joyous Resurrection of Him. To emphasize this again: “The Resurrection means that all who have ever lived will be resurrected, and the Resurrection is literal.” “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Jesus Christ broke the bands of death for every living soul.

Elder Stevenson then stated numerous reasons why Bertel Thorvaldsen’s beloved marble Christus statue has been widely used as the Church’s symbol, and it embodies the Resurrection with the prints on the hands and feet. It suggests that Christ should be the center of all we do. Likewise, the Savior’s outstretched arms indicate His promise to embrace all who will come unto Him. We truly celebrate the resurrected, living Christ. In this statue, we use it as the Church’s symbol.

I, along with Elder Stevenson, truly “stand all amazed at the grace Jesus offers us,” and embrace His words that “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  Come to Jesus! He is the light, the life, and the way!