Teens & Seminary

I am an avid reader. When left uninterrupted I can consume a 500+ page book in less than a day. Of course that’s when I’m reading for entertainment. When it comes to reading for knowledge, the process is considerably slower. This doesn’t stop me from reading for knowledge, however, as I’m passionate when it comes to learning new things. Whether it has to do with recent discoveries about allergy elimination, the latest research in where the Book of Mormon (another Testament of Jesus Christ) may have taken place, or what colors help me look my best, I try to find as many books or articles as I can lay my hands on.

Needless to say, the written word is invaluable to me, as well as millions of others out there in the world. We are not the only ones who treasure a written record.

From the time of Adam and Eve a record has been kept, according to the laws and dictates of the Lord. Many men over the years have been commanded to keep a record. Why?

There are two distinct stories in the Book of Mormon that work to explain just one of the reasons.

At the time of the prophet Jeremiah, a righteous man by the name of Lehi was prompted to take his family out of the land of Jerusalem and journey to a place where the Lord would lead them. After traveling for a few days Lehi was instructed to have his four grown sons return to Jerusalem to retrieve something they would need: the Brass Plates. These plates were the most current record available of the Lord’s Church (think Genesis and go on from there).

This commandment was not to be taken lightly. Going back to Jerusalem was perilous enough, as Lehi had made a lot of enemies by preaching to them of their wickedness and the need to repent. Add to that the man who held the plates and you had a dangerous mixture. This man was called Laban. He was greedy and unscrupulous, and cared more for the wealth and prestige the plates accorded him than the words written upon them. It was only with his death that the plates were retrieved.

Why did the Lord ask Lehi to risk his four sons for what may seem like a trivial thing? We are given the answer by Nephi, one of those sons.

“And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers; And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time” (1 Nephi 3:19-20).

Neither Lehi nor his family knew the Lord had a great journey for them, one that would require a large boat to take them across the ocean to a “promised land” (1 Nephi 2:20). Because they were being taken away from their native land, they needed the pure and undefiled language of the Lord and His prophets.

In stark contrast we have an accounting of a group of people called the Mulekites. At the time Zedekiah, king of Judah, was taken captive into Babylon, a group was guided to the promised land as well, only they had no written record of the Lord’s Church and laws. What sort of a difference could this have made?

“They had had many wars and serious contentions, and had fallen by the sword from time to time; and their language had become corrupted; and they had brought no records with them; and they denied the being of their Creator” (Omni 1:17).

Eventually the paths of these two people crossed. Do you know what the Mulekites did when they discovered the Nephites (righteous descendants of Lehi) had the brass plates? They rejoiced! They were open to being taught the language of the Nephites in an effort to begin living righteously. As this happened the Mulekites found themselves being blessed abundantly, and living in peace.

The written word is precious beyond measure, but the record we have beginning in Genesis on down through the present day is the greatest treasure in this world. The New Testament of the Bible fulfills the laws set up in the Old Testament. The Book of Mormon, a record of those brought by the Lord here to the Americas, complements what is written in the Holy Bible.

We must count ourselves blessed to have a record of the Lord’s ways: of why they work and what happens when we turn away from them. It is vitally important to study the scriptures so that we might learn from the experiences of those who have come before us in the hopes that we can avoid the same danger.

“They did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them” (Alma 57:21).

There are few sights in this world that can compare to a righteous mother humbly teaching her children in the ways of the Lord. There are few better testimonies to the love a child has for his mother than to continue in those ways even as he grows older.

My absolute favorite story involving mothers occurs in the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ. The remarkable women are not mentioned by name, but rather through the truths spoken and actions displayed by their sons.

Long ago a man named Helaman lived on the American continent. He was a good, noble, and righteous man who stood for much of what our forefathers fought to maintain: the desire to live free, to worship as they felt right, and to protect their families and homes. During Helaman’s time there were many wars between his people, the Nephites, and those who violently opposed the Lord’s Church, the Lamanites.

Helaman led a group of 2,000 young men, who were in their teens, to battle against the Lamanites. Why did he lead such young people into war? The parents of these young men had made a covenant with the Lord never to pick up their weapons of war again, even if it meant they would die. When their lives were placed in danger, many of them thought to break the covenant, especially as so many of their fellow Nephites – who fought to protect them – were being killed (Alma 53:11).

That’s when these 2,000 young men, or Stripling Warriors as we in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormon Church) call them, stepped up and said they would fight in place of their fathers and brothers who had previously entered the covenant.

They fought many times, these young men, for what they believed what was right. Helaman became like a father to them, and they referred to him as such. He wrote to a fellow captain about these boys of his, in which the reason behind their incredible faith is given.

“And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites. For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus.

“Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it” (Alma 56:45-48, emphasis added).

I do not doubt these mothers feared as they watched their sons go to war, not knowing what might happen to them, yet having such great faith that whatever the outcome it would be as the Lord desired. How great must have been their joy to see every single one of their young men return home.

For those who have a mother such as this, one who has taught you over the years in the ways of the Lord, rejoice. Live your lives as a testament to the good woman she is. If you do not have such a mother, I still say rejoice. You cannot know what has happened in her own growing up years to have shaped the person she is now. Instead of mourning for what might have been, take a moment to think of even one good thing she has done in your behalf. Even if there is only one little memory, take hold and never let it go. I then invite you to think of all the other mothers in your life: grandmothers, aunts, teachers, church leaders, and any other woman who has been a good influence.

I can only hope, as so many other mothers out there will echo, that my children will remember my own faith as I strive to teach them what is right. I pray they will be faithful and strong as I send them out to battle the evils in the world today. One of the greatest things I can ever hope to hear my children say of me is that they knew of my faith, and that I never doubted.

When reading through the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, two particular things seem to happen again and again. As the righteous people in the land, known as the Nephites, follow the Lord’s commandments they are blessed. Their lands produce bountiful harvests, they become rich in gold and silver and many precious things, all as a blessing for doing what is right. At times they are living so righteously there are no poor among them.

Usually when things are going this well two things invariably happen. First, there are those who begin to value the gold and silver, the fine silks and linens, far above helping those who may be in need. They would willingly rebuff those who might come to them for help. Second, there are those who begin to think too much of themselves, not due to their riches, but because of their wisdom. They are learned men who think they know better than everyone, even God.

It is this second group our next scripture mastery verses focus on in the Book of Mormon.

“O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God” (2 Nephi 9:28-29).

To have a love of learning is a wonderful thing. Whether you find yourself focusing on one particular subject, like art or physics, or would rather learn about a variety of things, learning is a good thing. We must never forget, however, that this love to learn, and the ability to do so are granted to us by our Heavenly Father. The danger lies in when we begin to trust more in ourselves more than in God.

In these cycles I mentioned before individuals inevitably became certain that their own ideas trumped the silly ramblings of supposed prophets of God. Some claimed they knew better than the prophets and led many people away from the Lord’s Church. Others claimed there was no God at all, and eventually left the Nephites altogether to join those who opposed (the Lamanites).

When this pride, both of learning and of riches, turned good people toward wickedness, the Lord would begin a path of humbling the Nephites. It would happen through wars with the Lamanites, or famine, or in being brought into captivity. Regardless of the method it was meant to remind the people to whom they owed their vast knowledge and riches. Only after great suffering, repentance, and a sincere change of heart would the people find themselves being blessed once again.

You and I find ourselves in a time when the rich are getting richer while the poor become poorer. People value gold and silver more than their fellow men. Learned men and women expound about how there is no God, or are more concerned with expounding their own words and ideas rather than God’s. We can see the cycle happening even in our world today.

So what can we learn from those who have gone through this before? Keep the Lord’s commandments. Follow the words of His prophets, both those from the Bible and Book of Mormon, and those who reside with us in these latter-days. If you are fortunate enough to come from a family with money, don’t value it over those who are in need. If you have access to books and teachers, be watchful. Consult your Heavenly Father in what He would have you do with this knowledge.

Those who have learned to submit to the Father in all things are perhaps the wisest of us all.

We should be spending every day of our lives in various efforts to make it happen. It can be through loving our neighbor, showing kindness to those who have wronged us, or serving those we come in contact with. Our words, thoughts and deeds are supposed to reflect one particular thing.

We are all trying to be more like Jesus.

It sounds simple enough, yet countless numbers have spent their entire lives in an effort to do just that, and they all fall short. Of course this doesn’t mean we should stop trying. Becoming more like Jesus is a lifelong process.

Perhaps those who give up too soon do so because they don’t really understand Christ. Though many of us have read the accounts of His life in the New Testament as well as the Book of Mormon (another testament of Christ), how many have studied His life thoroughly? How many understand the motivation behind His acts? How many comprehend the enormous pressure being the Savior of the world constantly placed upon Him?

Many argue His abilities to resist temptation far surpassed ours because He was part God. I’d like to add how tremendously difficult His temptations were as compared to ours. I’d also like to mention that He was perfect because, as Howard W. Hunter, a former president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormon Church), stated:

“He wanted to be. It is important to remember that Jesus was capable of sinning, that He could have succumbed, that the plan of life and salvation could have been foiled, but that He remained true. . .He was perfect and sinless, not because he had to be, but rather because he clearly and determinedly wanted to be. As the Doctrine and Covenants records, ‘He suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them.’ (D&C 20:22)”

Shortly after His baptism Christ felt compelled to take himself into seclusion in order to commune with the Father. In order to become more in tune with His spiritual self, Christ fasted. It wasn’t for two meals, or even twenty-four hours. He fasted for a full forty days. During this time He was being fed spiritually, so much so He barely regarded His own physical needs.

The time of such close communion with the Father eventually came to an end. As Christ pulled away it would be obvious His physical needs would become apparent. Elder James E. Talmage, a former apostle of the Latter-day Saint Church, relates:

“Throughout the period of retirement, he ate not, but chose to fast, that His mortal body might the more completely be subjected to His divine spirit. Then, when He was hungry and physically weak, the tempter came with the. . .suggestion that He use His extraordinary powers to provide food. Satan had chosen the most [advantageous] time for his evil purpose. What will mortals not do to what lengths have men not gone, to [dull] the pangs of hunger?” (Talmage, James E., “Jesus the Christ,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981, p.128).

At this time Christ was tempted, not once but three different times. We know the first time was at this point, when Satan tried to get Christ to use the power of the priesthood to create food for himself. “If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread” (Luke 4:3). Christ could have done it, but refused.

Again Satan tried to tempt Christ, this time citing scripture. At the time Christ stood at the top of the temple. Satan knew it was prophesied that God would protect His son, and encouraged Christ to jump off the temple to prove Himself the Son of God. With this display of power truly many of the Jews would believe Him to be something more than mere mortal. Talmage states: “It would have been a sign and a wonder indeed, the fame of which would have spread as a fire in the dry grass; and all Jewry would have been aflame with excitement and interest in the Christ” (Ibid, p.131). Yet, as before, Jesus refused.

In another temptation Satan tried a new tactic. He showed Christ the riches of the world and said, “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9). To this Jesus replied, “Get thee hence, Satan” (Matthew 4:10). Satan did leave, for a season.

This was not the end, nor the beginning, of the temptations of Christ. In fact He was tempted in all points just as all of us are, though with one significant difference. While we must always submit to the power of God, Christ had the power within himself to make happen whatever He desired. Therein lies the truest danger in all His temptations. Yet time and again He chose not to sin.

It is important to remember that without temptations, there is no real test. Christ understands what it’s like to be tempted. Through His resolute example we are given hope that we, too, can say to Satan and his followers, “Get thee hence.”

It is, for me, one of the most remarkable examples of what can happen when we are faced with the choice of following the Lord, or turning away from His ways. Though the story of Lehi’s family, which can be found in the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, lasts far longer than one post can hold, the pattern is set in just the first few chapters of 1 Nephi.

600 years before Christ was born, a humble man in Jerusalem took to heart the teachings of the Lord’s prophets concerning the wickedness of the people in his city. This man believed their words so much he began to preach them as well. He even received a vision that served to strengthen his commitment. This conversion didn’t exactly make him a favorite among his friends. Even his two eldest sons began to mock him, calling him a visionary man, and other titles meant to poke fun.

As hostility against his teachings grew, the man began to fear for his family. Knowing what would happen to the city due to the unrepentant hearts of its’ inhabitants, the man took his family away from what was probably the only home they had ever know. They left behind a comfortable life, many gold, jewels and other riches, as well as good friends.

At the time they left the city of Jerusalem, Lehi had four sons and two daughters that we know of. The two oldest, Laman and Lemuel, were selfish creatures, slow to remember their God, and often described as stiffnecked and continually murmuring and inciting others to stir up their up their hearts to anger (1 Nephi 16:38) against those in authority. Laman in particular resented his father, who took him from his comfortable life because he claimed to have heard a voice, and Nephi, a younger brother who, in his eyes, was constantly trying to usurp Laman’s birthright as the eldest. Lemuel, who was just as selfish as Laman, gladly followed Laman’s every move.

And then there was Nephi. Nephi was an obedient son, respectful of his parents and the good upbringing they had provided for the family. It is Nephi’s example, and that of his younger brother, Sam, that I would like to look at with you today.

Shortly after Lehi brings his family into the wilderness we begin to see the difference between Laman and Nephi. Laman took to murmuring, not understanding why all of this was happening. He had no reason to believe his precious Jerusalem would be destroyed. If he had only followed the example of his younger brother, perhaps many of his questions would have been answered.

If we look in the 1 Nephi chapter 2, verse 16, we can see what it is Nephi did that convinced him his father had done the right thing:

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.”

With a humble heart and a contrite spirit Nephi took the matter to the Lord in prayer, and he was answered. The spirit witnessed the truth of it to him. He knew that his father had made the right choice. He knew that the Lord was speaking to his father in visions. And he knew that it was important to listen to the requests of his father, for he was speaking on behalf of the Lord.

One of the first things Nephi did after receiving this witness was to bear his testimony to that of his younger brother, Sam. In verse 17 we read:

“And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.”

How wonderful is it that Sam was able to believe merely by hearing the testimony of his brother. What faith this young man must have had. It puts me in mind of the scripture found in Doctrine and Covenants section 46:13-14.

“To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world. To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful.”

Nephi knew through the witness of the Holy Ghost. Sam knew because of the words Nephi spoke. Nephi didn’t stop with bearing his testimony to Sam. He took it to the rest of the family as well. Laman and Lemuel wouldn’t listen, choosing instead to murmur against their father because life had suddenly turned very hard and inconvenient. This bothered Nephi, who once again turned to the Lord to voice his frustrations. The Lord told Nephi his brothers had to choose their own way, but if they chose to go against the Lord, he would have to be a leader in their place.

We all have the option to listen to the words of our parents and leaders and choose what to do with their guidance. Will we stop to talk with the Lord, trusting that He will give us the confirmation that their words are from Him? Or will we murmur, choosing to rebel and fall away? The choice is ours, of course. Just remember it is in choosing the Lord’s path that we will find true happiness.

In the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, we find a little clearer description of the purpose of the fall of Adam, and it’s done in two short statements.

“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25).

When Adam and Eve first resided in the Garden of Eden they were given two commandments. The first was not to partake of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Both Adam and Eve came to know it was necessary to partake of the forbidden fruit. Only by introducing sin into the world could the earth be made ready for all of us to come and live, be tested, and prove ourselves worthy to return to a heavenly life.

Had Adam and Eve never taken that first bite we would not be here today. Some might say this is a good thing, but our Heavenly Father’s Plan could not have come to pass otherwise. Adam and Eve knew of the second commandment and came to realize if they did not commit the first sin they could not fulfill the second (to multiply and replenish the earth). Their bodies were immortal, unable to bring mortal beings into the world.

There was another purpose to this first sin, which we can find in the second part of the scripture. We were all to come to earth in the hopes of experiencing joy. The word ‘joy’ may have a different meaning to some today, but remember this word was written almost 600 years before Christ came to the earth. Joy does not mean pleasure, it does not mean having tons of irreverent fun.

Joy comes in the most perfect, tender moments of our lives. It comes from knowing someone loves you no matter what. It comes from serving others. It comes from following the guidelines and commandments our Savior put in place so we might maintain that joy. Even when we are being tried and tested we can find joy.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormon Church), we have a different view of this ‘original sin,’ as most other churches refer to it.

“We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression” (Articles of Faith 1:2).

In other words, we don’t need to worry about being punished for the choice Adam made. We certainly have enough to deal with when it comes to our own mistakes and wrong choices. That first sin was a necessary step in bringing about the salvation of mankind. As Christ took upon Him all of our sins, he paid the debt of this first sin.

Adam and Eve broke a commandment of God when they chose to eat the forbidden fruit, but without that choice the entire plan of salvation would have stalled. We would never have had the chance to come here to earth. We would never have known joy. We would never have had the blessing of living with our Heavenly Father again.

I don’t know about you, but I am grateful for that first, difficult choice Adam and Eve made.

Early in the morning on the day after the Sabbath a mighty work was at hand. We know nothing of what occurred inside the Garden Tomb, testifying of the sacredness of the actual event, only that soon afterward the earth shook and two angels rolled away the great stone from the mouth of the tomb.

Two guards appointed by Pilate had been keeping watch. The chief scribes and Pharisees were so concerned with Christ’s prophecies about rising again they didn’t want to take any chances His followers would try any tricks (Matthew 27:62-64). In doing so they unintentionally gave quite a witness to the heavenly events. The two guards fainted at the sight.

Around this same time a group of women, many of whom had been disciples (devoted followers) of Jesus since He began His ministry in Galilee, were on their way to the tomb to anoint His body in the proper oils, thus giving Him the burial Jewish law required. They must have presented a desolate sight, grieving for the loss of their beloved leader and teacher.

The time line here gets a little fuzzy. Seeing the open tomb Mary Magdalene fears the worst. She runs to find Simon Peter, telling him, “They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him” (John 20:2). Mary believed someone had taken the Lord’s body, unwilling to let Him rest in peace but causing mischief even in His death.

While this was going on the women had looked into the tomb and saw two angels within (We discover there were two angels through the inspired translation of Joseph Smith in the King James Version of the Bible). “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” the heavenly visitors ask (Luke 24:5). The women are told to go immediately and tell everyone Christ had indeed risen.

No one believed them at first. In their grief and agony at such a loss, it isn’t too hard to imagine their doubt. As the women went on proclaiming the good news Simon Peter and John raced to see the tomb for themselves. Mary Magdalene was perhaps forgotten in their wonder at the sight of Christ’s burial clothes left undisturbed on the stone bench (by this time it seems the angels had left). Only then did they realize what had happened: Jesus the Christ had been resurrected!

Mary Magdalene had not come to this knowledge. In her mind she could not get past grieving over the loss of the Lord. She still thought someone had taken Him away. James E. Talmage, an apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormon Church), describes Mary as a noble woman and devoted soul.

“Mary became one of the closest friends Christ had among women; her devotion to Him as her Healer and as the One whom she adored as the Christ was unswerving; she stood close by the cross while other women tarried afar off in the time of His mortal agony; she was among the first at the sepulchre on the resurrection morning” (Talmage, James E., Jesus the Christ, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981, p.264-65).

Only when she found herself alone at the tomb did she look inside. Once again there were two angels who asked the grieving woman, “Why weepest thou?” to which she answered, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him” (John 20:13). She turned away from the tomb only to be met with the presence of another. She assumed he was the gardener, or caretaker of the garden. She also assumed he must know what had happened to the occupant of the tomb. When she is against asked why she is crying she responds, “Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away (John 20:15). She never calls Him by name.

Here is one of, in my eyes, the most beautiful events recorded in history. Perhaps it speaks to my heart of how the voice of someone we love, whether it be a treasured friend or family member, can be recognized even in the face of death. The man spoke just one word, “Mary.”

“One word from His living lips changed her agonized grief into ecstatic joy…. The voice, the tone, the tender accent she had heard and loved in the earlier days lifted her from the despairing depths into which she had sunk. She turned, and saw the Lord” (Talmage, James E., Jesus the Christ, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981, p.681).

In her joy she reached out. Christ beckoned for her to pause. “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend to my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17).

Even as a resurrected being, when Christ could have stood in glory of what He had accomplished, He instead turns our attention to the Father.

Mary did what was asked of her, though again no one believed. How could they, when she hadn’t been able to understand until she saw the living Christ for herself? To Mary’s testimony came that of the other women. Once Christ had visited with our Father, He came to them, and then to others.

Christ was risen. All that He taught and prophesied had come to pass. He truly was the Messiah, the Redeemer of all mankind.

There are two men in particular to thank for the proper, though hurried, burial of our Savior. If it weren’t for these two men Christ’s body would have been treated the same way as any other Jewish convicted criminal: tossed into a common grave. This was not a burial meant for the one who had just redeemed all of mankind.

This occurred to Joseph of Arimathaea. Joseph was a rich man and a member of the Sanhedrin, the ancient Jewish court. His relationship to Jesus is uncertain, though some non-scriptural scholars have thought he might be the brother of Anna, Christ’s grandmother. It is more likely he was simply a devoted follower.

Joseph of Arimathaea went to Pilate, a ruler appointed by Rome, and asked to have the body of Jesus Christ released to him upon death. Though it seems a simple enough act, Joseph showed great courage. Not only could he have angered Pilate, he would also face the resentment of the Jewish leaders who originally sought the life of Christ and the court with which he served.

Pilate granted Joseph’s wish. Once death was declared Joseph went into action. Jewish law dictated that burial occur before the end of the day which was quickly approaching. Time didn’t allow for a proper burial in the sense of the body being appropriately anointed. All they could do was wash Him, wrap the head and body, and lay the body amid spices.

This is where we’re introduced to the second man who is only briefly mentioned at this time. Nicodemus, another ruler of the Jews (John 3:1) as a member of the Sanhedrin, had been a devoted follower of Christ, even in defending Him against the chief priests and Pharisees (John 7:45-52). He bought a large amount of spices, myrrh and aloe to prepare Jesus’ body for burial. The purchase was actually so large it was compared to that of what was used in royal burials, which I’m sure Nicodemus felt was appropriate.

These two men are those who took down the body of Jesus Christ. They removed the spikes from His hands, wrists, and feet. They lovingly washed His body clean, and did all that was needed in the short time available. I cannot picture the scene without seeing tears running down their faces, just as many of us who have grieved for our own loved ones who have passed on.

Jesus Christ was buried in Joseph of Arimathaea’s new tomb, freely given by this disciple (John 19:41-42). James E. Talmage, leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormon Church), sums up the next few events:

“The tomb was in a garden… Because of the nearness of the Sabbath the interment had to be made with haste; the door of the sepulchre was closed, a large stone was rolled against it; and thus laid away the body was left to rest” (Talmage, James E., Jesus the Christ, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981, p.665).

Only a few women followed, though they didn’t enter the tomb. Their Sabbath day was soon to begin and so they planned to come back in a few days to complete the anointing. Little did they know what scene would meet them the next time they would come to the Garden Tomb.

We don’t know for certain where Golgotha is found. Many hymns and paintings over the years depict it as being on a hill, but none of the four gospels indicate this to be true. As we learn more about the culture and the times, we come to know crucifixions were done outside city walls along main roads. This was done to further humiliate the person being crucified, as well as a warning to others what would happen if they were caught.

We know Christ was crucified at nine o’clock in the morning (Mark 15:25). Spikes were driven through the palms of His hands as well as the wrists, and then into the feet, making sure no bones were broken in the process. At this point He would have been lifted up to the tree where everything would be nailed into place. Included in this was the sign written up by Pilate. It read:

Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews

As we read in John 19:19-22, the chief priests wanted Pilate to add two more words, so that the sign would read, “I am King of the Jews.” In this point Pilate finally stood firm. “What I have written I have written.” Pilate knew Jesus was innocent. Perhaps he also knew of Christ’s divinity.

Bruce R. McConkie, leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormon Church), describes some of what Christ went through on the cross.

“A death by crucifixion seems to include all that pain and death can have of the horrible and ghastly – dizziness, cramp, thirst, starvation, sleeplessness, traumatic fever, tetanus, publicity of shame, long continuance of torment, horror of anticipation, mortification of untended wounds, all intensified just up to the point at which they can be endured at all, but all stopping just short of the point which would give to the sufferer the relief of unconsciousness. The unnatural position made every movement painful...and, while each variety of misery went on gradually increasing, there was added to them the intolerable pang of a burning and raging thirst. Such was the death to which Christ was doomed” (McConkie, Bruce R., Donctrinal New Testament Commentary, vol. 1, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, p.816).

Everything Christ endured on the cross is horrible to think about. What is miraculous to me is through all of it He was concerned about others, as we can see in His last words.

1. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Who were ‘they?’ Certainly not the men and soldiers who arrested, scourged, and mocked Him. None of these men had repented, nor deserved forgiveness. Christ was speaking to His Father in behalf of the soldiers who, following orders, nailed Him to the cross.

2. “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Two thieves were also crucified at the same time as Christ. One of these men went so far as to begin mocking the Savior. The second thief rebuked the first, showing come compassion. Was he more concerned with himself, wondering if he might make it into heaven? This is certainly a possibility. Even so, his heart was in a better place, and Christ gave him some peace in the promise to meet in the world of Spirits.

3. “Woman, behold thy son! … Behold thy mother!” (John 19:26-27). One among a group of faithful women was the Lord’s own mother. How her heart must have suffered to see her beloved Son come to such an end. Near her stood John the Beloved, one of Christ’s own faithful followers. In putting the two of them together, He ensured His mother would be well taken care of.

4. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). For me this is the most heart-wrenching cry to have been uttered from the Savior’s lips. At this moment He had gone through so much. So much! His life was ending, His body pushed to it’s limits. I think the only thing that kept Him going was His link to the Father, and now it had been removed. Now there was no angel to help support Him, no promise of a return, only darkness.

5. “I thirst” (John 19:28). At the removal of the Father’s light and life, Christ may have felt the physical torment to an even greater degree. Admitting such a base need truly testifies to the agony He was then suffering. Still, when offered, Christ declined, putting His mission before His own needs.

6. “It is finished” (John 19:30). In the footnotes of the King James version of the Bible put out by the Mormon Church we find a slightly different account as translated by inspiration through Joseph Smith. “It is finished, thy will is done.” Herein we see the completion of the Atonement. All that Christ suffered was at the will of the Father. In this moment, this blessed moment, Christ knows He has done all that the Father has asked.

7. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Christ gave up the ghost. It was His choice. He had power over His own death, as was given to Him by being the literal Son of the Father. Why is this so significant? It wasn’t the chief priests or Roman soldiers who brought about His death. Because of the light and life of the Father, which was in Him, Jesus could have lived on. This was in part the reason the Spirit left Christ, so that He could have total control over when to end His life, of His own free will and choice.

The earth quaked, the veil of the Temple ripped in two, mountains were laid low and valleys became mountains. The earth, and all that was upon it, mourned for the loss of its Creator. But somewhere in the afterlife was a Being who stood in the presence of countless loved ones, free of pain and sin, at last at peace. Only one thing more was required, and those on earth would have to wait three more days to see it happen.

At last the verdict was in: Jesus Christ would be crucified. Already weak and exhausted from the Garden of Gethsemane, having stayed up all night being tossed here and there by evil men whose only aim was to see Him hung, by now Christ had suffered more cruelly than any other man on earth. His agony was only added upon by the Roman soldiers.

Roman regulations insisted that every man condemned to crucifixion be scourged first. This act alone was so brutal, so bloody, those inflicted often died even before they could be crucified. I don’t feel it’s necessary to go into the horrors of scourging here. Just know that it was far more horrible than we can possibly imagine.

After the scourging had passed, the Roman soldiers who held Christ captive here couldn’t quite leave Him alone. Instead they took Him back to the judgment hall where they once again stripped Him of His clothes, mockingly replacing them with one of scarlet, a sign of royalty. Someone braided together a crown of thorny vines. It’s possible each of those thorns were an inch long. He was given a reed to hold, like a scepter, and once again He was scorned.

One of the things that most amazes me about everything Jesus was asked to endure was His patience. Though men spat upon Him, swore at Him, said cruel things to make fun and provoke, Christ patiently bore it all. As He was beaten, slapped, scourged, and other physical abuses were heaped upon Him, Christ never once raised a hand to save Himself. He simply bore all things with patience.

Bruce R. McConkie, a leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormon Church), taught to us follow Christ’s example.

“To fill the full measure and purpose of our mortal probation, we must have patience. This mortal existence is the Lord’s sifting sphere, the time when we are subject to trials, testing, and tribulations. Future rewards will be based on our patient endurance of all things” (McConkie, Bruce R.,Mormon Doctrine, 2d ed. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966, 557; italics added).

At this time upon Christ’s back was placed the cross He was to carry to Golgotha. We cannot know for certain whether it was the entire cross, or the crossbar. Even the latter would be trial enough, perhaps weighing 75-125 pounds. Christ is generally thought to have carried the crossbar, as crucifixions were generally done on a tree. The bar would have lain across the back of His neck, His arms tied to either side.

In this fashion Christ was prodded along through the streets on their way out of the city (no executions were performed within the city walls. Look up Numbers 15:35; 1 Kings 21:13; Acts 7:58). One of the soldiers carried a sign made by Pilate, indicating Christ’s name and supposed crime, which would later be fastened to the top of the cross.

Only now do we begin to see what toll all of the agonizing events up to this point had taken. Christ, under the great weight of everything He had endured, stumbled. He needed help. A passerby was called to by the soldiers and ‘compelled’ to carry the cross.

It is this man, Simon of Cyrene, who offers us a small ray of light in such a dark moment. Though we don’t know much about him, we do gain the sense that he had nothing to do with Jesus before this moment. He was not among the crowd who had demanded the life of Christ. He was not among those who joined the crowd in mocking and taunting the Savior. He was simply there because Mosaic law required all males of the covenant to come before the Lord during the Passover feast.

This one encounter, however, seemed to have affected Simon deeply. In Mark 15:21 we are given a small clue as to what eventually happened to Simon. “And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.” Simon had two sons: Alexander and Rufus. How does this help us?

Rufus was later referred to in Romans 16:13, where the apostle Paul mentions him, and his mother, specifically. In fact Paul seems to know them very well. We learn an even more interesting fact through a professor at Brigham Young University.

“Archaeologists working in Jerusalem believe that a group of ossuaries (stone boxes for the burial of human bones) discovered in 1941 belonged to the family of Simon of Cyrene.... One inscription bears the name Alexander, a name rare among Jews at the time; he is identified as the Son of Simon” (Skinner, Andrew C., Golgotha, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2002, p.112).

The event that took place the day Simon found himself called forth out of the streets of Jerusalem had such a profound effect on his life he became a converted member to the Lord’s Church, and his family as well.

The thought I’d like to close with, however, is the thought of Simon carrying a load for our Savior. So many times we feel the crosses we are asked to bear are too heavy a load on our shoulders, and we stumble. Often we are told to allow the Lord to help us, for His burden is light. There are few individuals throughout the history of the world who can claim they were able to carry even a tiny portion of Christ’s heavy burdens. Though he may not have thought so at first, Simon's life was truly blessed for that small act of service.

Jesus Christ was bound and led away by an interesting group of people. First you had the chief priests who performed the ordinances of the Aaronic Priesthood temple worship. There were also captains of the temple, who acted as security guards, so to speak. They kept order within the walls of the temple. There were also the elders of the church, who were spiritual and social leaders and teachers. Mixed in were Roman guards, thought to be included to make the entire arrest look official.

These men were essentially the same group who desired to take and kill Jesus back when He removed the moneychangers from the temple (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:18).

After His initial arrest Jesus was first taken to Annas, father-in-law to Caiaphas the official high priest. Annas himself had served as high priest when Jesus was a youth (A.D. 7-15), and had great influence within the system. Annas began to question Jesus about His doctrines, hoping to find something within His words to condemn Him (John 18:19-21).

Christ had preached in their temples. The chief priests and elders knew precisely all He had taught. All Annas had to do was ask the men personally. It was in His answer Christ let it be known He knew of the entire plot. They could have taken Him at any time when He preached right in front of them. Instead they chose to claim Him during the night, while most of His devout followers would not be aware of what happened.

At this moment a servant of Annas came forward and slapped Christ for embarrassing his master. Christ was then sent on to Caiaphas, who seemed to share the courtyard with his father-in-law. Here the chief priests and scribes came together in a meeting that turned out to be neither legal, nor fair. In fact all the succeeding trials turned out to be full of ironies and hypocrisies (Matthew 26:59-60; Mark 14:55).

They looked for false witnesses and found two, but the two witnesses couldn’t even agree with one another (Mark 14:59). Do you know what the punishment is for lying in a council meeting? The same as that of the accused. By right these two men should have been crucified as well. Obviously this didn’t happen.

Eventually Christ was accused of sedition. Sedition can also be called trouble-making, treason, or incitement to rebellion (things the very leaders caused in front of Pilate). This was the most they could come up with, other than blasphemy by referring to Himself as the Son of God. For these two things the leaders of God’s own Church cried out for Christ to die.

The council then sought to take their anger out on Him. Christ was spat upon, battered, slapped, taunted and mocked. Around six in the morning Jesus was taken to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Pilate was a cruel man who cared little for what the Jews wished, but had burned far too many bridges up to this point and stood on shaky ground with those directly over him.

Pilate asked the Jewish council, “What accusation bring ye against this man?” (John 18:29) to which the council responded, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King” (Luke 23:2). This, of course, wasn’t true (Matthew 22:21).

Pilate probably knew what the Jewish leaders wanted – to keep their own hands clean by making this a government issue. The council also had no power to put anyone to death, lest it be through stoning by their own hands. Though Pilate tried to make them take care of their own disputes, the council would not leave. In speaking with Christ, Pilate couldn’t see that He’d done anything worth being put to death and tried to communicate this with the crowd. The people only became “more fierce” and adamant that something be done. So Pilate did the only thing he could think of: he sent them all to Herod.

As Jesus was from Galilee, He was strictly out of Pilate’s jurisdiction. He also knew Herod had long desired to see the purported Messiah in the hopes of witnessing a miracle. In this Pilate had two hopes. First, that it would take the entire matter out of his hands. Second, that it would help mend the two leaders poor relationship. Only one of the two matters were accomplished. Later he and Herod became friendly.

This was the same man who had murdered John the Baptist, Christ's cousin. Jesus refused to say a word to Herod. In anger Herod and his men ridiculed and mocked the Savior and sent Him back to Pilate. In a last ditch effort to save Christ’s life, Pilate took the tradition of setting free a prisoner on this day and brought forth a man who was the exact opposite of Christ: evil, notorious, a convicted criminal. When asked who should be released, the Jews cried out, “Barabbas.”

Pilate felt he could do no more without sacrificing his own position. In an effort to rid himself of any supposed guilt he did the ceremonial washing of his hands in front of the assemblage. Neal A. Maxwell, a leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormon Church) wrote, “Pilate sought to refuse responsibility for deciding about Christ, but Pilate’s hands were never dirtier than just after he had washed them” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Why Not Now?”, Ensign, November 1974).

Through all of this Christ stayed quiet, calm, and humble. The one who could create worlds, heal the sick, command legions of angels to come to His rescue, did not lift a finger to save Himself. Even in some of His darkest moments He stood still, patient to the end, though hoards of evil men reviled and smote Him. If only we could all strive to be so patient in our afflictions.

Things unfolded quickly after Christ’s triumphant exit from the Garden of Gethsemane. Even as He told His friends to sleep on and take some rest (Matthew 26:45), a group of men came to take Him. This group included chief priests and elders, all men of the Jerusalem Temple who acted almost like a police force in keeping the peace. Unfortunately these men had evil in their hearts, and were determined to rid themselves of the man who claimed to be the Son of God.

How delighted they must have been when one of His own devoted followers approached them. Remember, Judas left quite a while ago, even knowing Christ was aware of His coming betrayal.

“And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said” (Matthew 26:21-25).

Judas could have repented. He could have humbled himself, and asked for forgiveness. Instead his heart became hardened. Anger and hatred took hold, and he committed one of the most appalling acts this world has known: for thirty pieces of silver he betrayed his Lord.

The following events occur so quickly it’s easy to dismiss some important points. Judas led the group of men to the Garden, a place Jesus had taken his disciples to many times to teach, ponder, and pray. Judas knew this was where He would be, and led the priests and elders there.

Let’s stop here for a moment. Try to recall what the Christ had just gone through. He probably didn’t look like the same man. His robes were probably filthy, His face and hands encrusted with His blood mixed with sweat. Of all the men standing there I would think He looked the least like a man who could be the literal Son of God. Yet this is the man Judas approached and kissed.

In today’s time a kiss is often given without thought. It was not always so. The kiss is significant in Old and New Testament times. As Andrew Skinner, who currently serves as dean of Religious Education and professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, tells us in his book Golgotha, the kiss could mean a reconciliation between people who had been estranged, separated for a long time, or fighting (Look up Genesis 33:4; Exodus 4:27; Genesis 45:15). A kiss could be a token of respect. Religious and educational leaders were often greeted with a kiss by those who were taught. In 1 Thessalonians 5:26 Paul counseled the brethren to greet one another with a ‘holy kiss.’

For Judas to greet the Master with a kiss was a great contradiction. There was no love in it, only betrayal. Could Judas have been more properly reprimanded than for the Lord to have called him, “Friend…” (Matthew 26:50).

Though the timing is not confirmed, just before or after this betrayal Christ asked the men who had accompanied Judas whom they were seeking.

“They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he” (John 18:5).

At this point the men stepped back and fell to the ground. They were so stunned not one of them said a word. Once again Christ asked whom they were seeking, and again they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

Why were these men so surprised at Jesus’ answer? Andrew Skinner gives us an idea.

“The translators of the King James Version of the Bible added the word he after each use of the phrase “I Am” in this passage, believing it rounded out the translation. Without that added word, however, we can understand more readily why the chief priests and elders responded as they did, for when they heard Jesus utter those words, they fell backward to the ground – as might anyone who has had the wind knocked out of him because God himself has just responded to his inquiry” (Skinner, Andrew C., Golgotha, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2002, p.11).

I think there is one more aspect to Christ proclaiming the words, “I Am.” He’s literally just gone through what no other man on earth could ever hope to accomplish. He rose triumphant, having accomplished the first part of the Atonement. As the words “I Am” came from His lips, I would think there was such determination, such knowledge, such power behind those two words.

It was at this point Jesus was seized by the temple men. Peter, who always seemed to allow his heart to rule his head, pulled out his fisherman’s sword and cut off the ear of one of the men to protect his Lord. Christ, ever mindful of what needed to happen, rebuked Peter. “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (Matthew 26:53-54.) A legion in the time of Christ included 6,000 soldiers. Could you imagine having 72,000 angels coming at you?

Christ’s mission was not yet completed, as He tried to remind His friends. At this point He healed the guard (a blessing seemingly ignored by those who would kill Him), and meekly submitted to being bound and taken away.

Jesus must have been physically, mentally, and emotionally worn out at this time, yet His thoughts were ever on the welfare of others. He didn’t fight back when the soldiers took Him, knowing precisely what was still to come.

It’s a heavy concept, the thought of taking upon oneself the sins of every person who ever has, and ever will, live. Even those of us with the most incredible imaginations could never possibly hope to come close to understanding what it was the Savior took upon Himself that night in Gethsemane.

All of us have sinned at least once in our lives, even if we did it in ignorance. Many children are taught incorrect truths as they grow up: swearing, hatred, intolerance, etc. I have known such sweet and innocent children, and even teens and adults, who have come to think evil things to be good, because that’s what they have been taught. Christ took every one of those sins upon Himself. But this is not all.

There are those out in the world who know what the laws of God are, and knowingly break those laws. At some point in their lives they have been taught what is right, or have felt the promptings of the Holy Spirit telling them what they are doing is wrong and have ignored those feelings. Even to the most vile sinners has the Lord offered the chance to be cleansed, by taking upon Him those sins, fully experiencing what they experienced, and knowing why they did what they did. But this is not all.

“In Gethsemane Jesus took the full force of God’s overwhelming and retributory punishment. Justice demanded it, and we, who are sinners, deserve it. According to the rules framing the universe, the full consequences of transgressed laws cannot be dismissed or overlooked. They must be borne by someone – the sinner or the substitute. Jesus was that substitute for all of us who will allow him to be so” (Skinner, Andrew C., Gethsemane, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2002, p.51).

In other words, when we sin justice demands a punishment. If we do not repent we must face the punishment ourselves. However if we become remorseful, and truly repent of the sin(s) committed, Christ’s suffering in the Garden will be enough to erase the sin. He has already endured the punishment for us. But this is not all.

In the Book of Mormon, another testament of Christ, we are taught a new truth of what the Savior took upon Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane. These words come from a prophet by the name of Alma, who lived in the Americas around 80 BC.

“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind’ and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

“And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities” (Alma 7:11-12).

Christ took upon himself our infirmities. What does this tell us? He knows what it’s like to have cancer, lupus, multiple sclerosis, autism, depression, and myriads of other illnesses and diseases we are sometimes asked to endure to bring us a little closer to Him. Not only this, but He understands our pains. He knows what it’s like when we lose a loved one to death, to watch someone suffer needlessly and feel unable to help, to be tempted to the point of aching to give in. He knows and understands everything we will ever go through, whether it’s what God the Father places on our shoulders to endure, or what we will bring upon ourselves through incorrect choices. He knows. Surely all of this should be enough for us to be spiritually saved, but even this is not all.

There came a point in those awful hours, when He had gone through so much already even to the point of having an angel there to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43), when one more thing had to happen for the Atonement to truly be complete. The Spirit of God was removed from Him. Think for a moment about how terrifying and horrible this must have been to someone who had never been without the light of God the Father in His entire life. In that moment of spiritual darkness He became subject to the fullness of Satan’s wrath.

Boyd K. Packer, a leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormon Church), said:

“He, by choice, accepted the penalty for all mankind for the sum total of all wickedness and depravity….In choosing, He faced all the awesome power of the evil one who was not confined to the flesh, nor subject to mortal pain. That was Gethsemane” (Boyd K. Packer, "Atonement, Agency, Accountability", Ensign, May 1988).

It was then, divided from the light of His Father, enduring everything we choose and are asked to go through, subject to the worst Satan could inflict, that Christ began to bleed from every pore (Luke 22:44). What did Christ do in this awful moment? He began to pray more earnestly. This man, who knew more about prayer than anyone on earth could ever hope to understand, prayed even harder.

At last it was done. Can there have been a more achingly glorious sight, unless it be the Resurrected Christ, than the picture of Him rising to His feet. Shaking, drenched in sweat and blood, He arose victorious! How the angels in Heaven must have cried out in joy! I would imagine the most comforting words to Jesus must have come from His Father. “Soon,” He might have said, “You will have rest. Just a little while longer, and we will be together again.”

All of this Christ did, for us and for His Father. In taking upon Himself everything, justice has been satisfied. We can repent and become clean again. The light of God can be a constant in our lives. All of these blessing and more, because our elder brother descended far below us all. All of this because He loves us.

“And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:37-39).

We read a little different account in Mark.

“And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt” (Mark 14:33-36).

The messages in these verses are so powerful, so intensely moving, but you may miss what lies behind them if you’re not careful.

I think the thing that strikes me most is when Christ begins to be sore amazed. He has barely taken a few steps away from His trusted friends and suddenly he feels “exceeding sorrowful,” “heavy,” “even unto death.” Before now I had never given the matter of these immediate feelings a whole lot of thought. Of course I understood that He was about to take upon Himself all of our sins, and had attributed the sense of sorrow and foreboding to that. It wasn’t until I began to study this a little deeper that one particular comment I read struck me harder than anything I had read before.

“Yet, for all the things the Savior knew, there was one thing he did not know, and, in fact, could not know because of what he was. The scriptures declare with absolute certainty that Jesus was perfect, without sin…

“Being perfect, Jesus did not and could not know what sin felt like. He did not have the experience of feeling the effects of sin – neither physically, spiritually, mentally, nor emotionally… Now, in an instant, he began to feel all the sensations and effects of sin, all the guilt, anguish, darkness, turmoil, depression, anger and physical sickness that sin brings” (Skinner, Andrew C., Gethsemane, Salt Lake: Deseret Book, 2002, p.58).

Have you ever thought of that before? Christ didn’t understand why this heaviness and sorrow suddenly came upon Him because He had never sinned. In that moment the meaning behind the Atonement changed for our Savior. In that instant He began to fully understand how sin weighs us down, hides the light of God, and binds us spiritually.

It hit Him so hard He fell to the ground. As Neal A. Maxwell, a former leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormon Church), describes it:

“Imagine, Jehovah, the Creator of this and other worlds, ‘astonished’! Jesus knew cognitively what He must do, but not experientially. He had never personally known the exquisite and exacting process of an atonement before. Thus, when the agony came in its fullness, it was so much, much worse than even He with his unique intellect had ever imagined!” (Neal A. Maxwell, "Willing to Submit", Ensign, May 1985).

In other words, Christ knew what had to be done in His head, but experiencing it was so much worse than He could possibly have imagined. What was the first thing He said? Abba. Father. He cried out to His father. How many times do you hear a child cry out to a parent when hurt, injured, confused or scared? Jesus loved his Father dearly. He trusted His father completely. Yet at this moment He found Himself enduring something He could never have understood up to that point.

He asked for the bitter cup to be taken from Him, but never without adding that His Father’s will came first. Though He was asked to endure what no mortal could, and asked not once, but three times for the cup to be removed, He always submitted to the will of the Father. Just as important is this: after He had endured the first round, Christ knew full well what would be asked of Him the next time, and He came back. He. Came. Back.

I cannot begin to know all that He went through during those 3 or 4 hours He spent in the Garden. We all know what sin can do to us, the guilt, the sorrow, the bondage we place ourselves under when we willingly commit it. These moments for us are but a drop in the ocean of what our elder brother, Jesus Christ, endured that night. He who was perfect, who had never sinned before, who was sore amazed at the effects of sin on the entire world from the beginning to the end, came back to finish the work. He loves us, He loves our Heavenly Father, that much.

I have not even begun to touch on the intricacies of the Atonement. I cannot hope to do so in a lifetime. I do know this: no other man on this earth could have done what Jesus Christ did for us in that moment. Because He came back to finish the work, we are able to repent, to become clean again, to have the remarkable hope of one day living with our Father in Heaven again. He loves us that much. Of this, I can testify.

The Garden of Gethsemane was a familiar place to Jesus Christ and His Apostles. We can see it was not the first time they had visited there by looking at John 18:1-2.

“WHEN Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.”

Bruce R. McConkie, former latter-day apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormon Church), made a powerful comment on Gethsemane and it’s significance for Jesus and the disciples.

“Two thousand years ago, outside Jerusalem’s walls, there was a pleasant garden spot, Gethsemane by name, where Jesus and his intimate friends were wont to retire for pondering and prayer.

There Jesus taught his disciples that the doctrines of the kingdom, and all of them communed with Him who is the Father of us all, in whose ministry they were engaged, and on whose errand they served.

This sacred spot, like Eden where Adam dwelt, like Sinai from whence Jehovah gave his laws, like Calvary where the Son of God gave his life a ransom for many, this holy ground is where the Sinless Son of the Everlasting Father took upon himself the sins of all men on condition of repentance” (Bruce R. McConkie, "The Purifying Power of Gethsemane", Ensign, May 1985).

Before we move on into what Christ endured within the garden, I felt it was necessary to take a moment and try to understand the importance of this spot for the Lord. This was not some random place He picked out because it was secluded. This was a place he’d been to so many times before, a place of teaching, a place of pondering, a place of spiritual renewal.

“The word Gethsemane means ‘oil press.’ Situated on the lower half of Oliver, or the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane was a lovely area and the site of the production of olive oil in ancient times” (Skinner, Andrew C., Gethsemane, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2002, p.49).

There was an oil press in Gethsemane in the time of Christ, the remains of which can still be seen today. There is a symbolic significance to Jesus being here in the garden of the oil press. In this place olives were crushed to gain the precious oil. This oil played a prominent part in the culture of the day. It was used for cooking, medicine, anointing, lighting (think oil lamps), and other things.

In the same way our Lord and Savior was pressed and crushed by the illnesses, sins, and temptations of the world. The result of that horribly wonderful experience is similar to that of the olive oil: His sacrifice anoints, feeds, and heals broken hearts and souls. His sacrifice brings light and hope into our lives, hope that we will not live in sin for eternity.

Think for a moment about a place you like to go when you need to retreat from the pressures of the world. Even if you knew something hard would be required of you there, it would still be a place of refuge. The Garden of Gethsemane was such a spot for our Savior. It is not to be rembered with pain and sorrow. I like to think if the Savior had not died so soon after, He would have returned to the Garden, regarding it as even more sacred than before.

When I decided to write a little about the Atonement my thoughts did not go directly to the Garden of Gethsemane. Instead they trailed back a little in time to the Passover Feast that had occurred just a few hours before. Why?

Think about the last time you had a test. Did you merely start without studying beforehand? Well, I certainly hope not. The best course to help you succeed, to claim that perfect grade, is to prepare.

The Savior knew there was a big test, or trial, about to come upon Him. Did He know just how difficult it would be? I don’t know. I do know He realized how important it was for Him to prepare spiritually before the big test came. The Passover Feast was His way of preparing.

I don’t know a lot about the Passover as it is practiced today. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, nicknamed the Mormon Church, we don’t hold this feast. Our reasons for this will be discussed a little later.

For several months now Jesus had been trying to prepare His apostles for this day – the day when He would no longer reside with them on this earth in His mortal form. As these months passed rejection of Him as Savior grew steadily worse. Even members of His own family, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas (Matthew 13:55), denied Him as the Christ (John 7:2-4, 7).

“Neither did his brethren believe in him” (John 7:5).

And so He clung even more to the men who had stood by Him through His ministry, and chose to spend His last few hours in their company.

“During Jesus’ time, the Passover lambs used in the feast were killed on the fourteenth day of the month of Nissan, and the meal was eaten between sundown and midnight, in conformity with Exodus 12:6” (Skinner, Andrew C., Gethsemane, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2002, p.29).

In the next several days of the Apostles lives they will come to know, as do we, the true symbolism in the Passover meal. Andrew Skinner, quoted above, gives us a basic description of this symbolism.

First is the representation of Jesus, the Firstborn of the Father, and the firstborn lamb who would be sacrificed. This lamb had to be without blemish (Exodus 12:5), as was Christ. No bone of the lamb could be broken. Through all that Christ endured, no bone of His was broken.

No stranger was to eat of the Passover lamb. Those who have not come to know of Christ and become a member of His Church should not partake of the sacrament. Just as hyssop was used to put the blood of the lamb upon the doorframe (Exodus 12:22), it was also used to bring the vinegar, at that time used as a pain reliever, up to Christ as He hung on the cross (John 19:29). Lastly, the blood of the Passover lamb had been a symbol to the destroying angel of their belief in Christ. So now would the blood of the Lamb of God allow us, His believers, to be free from sin and spiritual death.

The day of the Passover Christ sent Peter and John to one of His believers, or a disciple, asking to use the upper room. The lamb was slaughtered at the temple, and roasted according to law. At the appropriate time he sat down with His Apostles, His friends, and said, “With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:15). It was at this time He began to teach them about the true meaning behind the Passover Feast, a feast He instituted over 1200 years before.

The order of events went according to custom until the traditional breaking of the unleavened bread. Instead of reciting the customary blessing Jesus “took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).

I would imagine this breaking of tradition astounded the Apostles. Did they realize at that moment the new law Christ was instituting?

Yet another change occurred. “Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup in the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20).

Christ had shown His Apostles a new ordinance, that of the sacrament. This was to replace the sacrifice of the lamb, for He was the Lamb. It brought home the importance of individual commitment and interaction with God. Our sacrifice now should be a humble heart and a contrite spirit, represented through the bread (body of Christ) and wine (blood of Christ). This is why members of the Latter-day Saint Church no long practice the Passover Feast, but rather partake of the sacrament (though we use water instead of wine).

All of this was of vital importance in preparing the Lord for what was to come. Introducing the sacrament fortified Him spiritually and emotionally to face His future. The night was far from over. Christ offered up what is now known as the Intercessory Prayer (John 17). In one of His last lessons, Christ washed the feet of his friends. Then it was time to go.

As Christ and the Apostles left it was very late at night. Even without what was to come I’m certain they were all fairly exhausted. I love that one of His last acts before going into the mount of Olives was to sing a hymn (Mark 14:26), for music is one of the most powerful tools to keep the Holy Spirit close by.

At this point all had been done by the Savior to prepare Himself for the agony of Gethsemane.

The lesson we can gain from this is simple: we must spiritually prepare ourselves for whatever may come. None of us will ever be asked to endure what the Savior did, but we will have our own trials to bear. If we do not prepare ourselves now, it will be like heading into that classroom knowing there is a test and having not studied a word.

To begin to understand the Atonement and Resurrection of Christ, we have to go back about 1200 years to when a certain occurrence first began. Anyone who has ever been a part of the Passover Feast, or read the Old Testament, knows when the first Passover Feast was instituted.

In the time of Moses the Israelites had been placed under the bondage of the Egyptians for a few hundred years. A way had been provided to free the Israelites in the form of a prophet, Moses.

Pharaoh, the leader of Egypt, had no intention of letting his slaves go. Even plagues of locusts, frogs, lice, hail, and other awful testaments of the Lord’s power could not soften Pharaoh’s heart enough to let the Israelites go.

This is when the Passover Feast first happened (Exodus 12). Moses and the Israelites were commanded to sacrifice a lamb or kid (sheep or goat) about a year old. The blood of the lamb was to be sprinkled along the sides and top of the doorframe.

“It washed away 430 years of Egypt’s contamination. The blood of the lamb protected them from the wrath of the Almighty. Its roasted flesh nourished their bodies with strength for the long, perilous journey ahead. They ate in haste, loins girded, staff in hand, shoes on their feet, prepared to leave at any moment at God’s command (Rosen, Ceil, and Moishe Rosen. Christ in the Passover: Why Is This Night Different? Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press, 1978, pp.23-24).

This was certainly not the one and only time for the feast. For thousands of years the Passover Feast has been celebrated since that day. For Christians who participate in this ritual feast it typically occurs at the same time we celebrate Easter. When it comes to how the Feast is celebrated in this day I am at a loss. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, nicknamed the Mormon Church, we do not celebrate the Passover Feast, though the true message of Easter is certainly held in reverence.

Three big changes happened in the Passover Feast almost immediately, as we can read in the Latter-day Saint edition of the King James Version of the Bible.

1. It lost its domestic character, and became a sanctuary feast.
2. A seven days’ feast of unleavened bread (hence its usual name), with special offerings was added (Exodus 12:15; Numbers 28:16-25). The first and seventh days were Sabbaths and days of holy convocation.
3. The feast was connected with the harvest.

These weren’t the only changes made. In later times several other ceremonies were added, and were practiced by Christ and His apostles in their lifetime. We can also read of these in the Bible Dictionary.

1. The history of the redemption of Egypt was related by the head of the household.
2. Four cups of wine mixed with water were drunk at different stages of the feast.
3. Psalms 113-118 (the Hallel) were sung.
4. The various materials of the feast were dipped in a sauce.
5. The feast was not eaten standing, but reclining.
6. The Levites (at least on some occasions) slew the sacrifices.
7. Voluntary peace offerings were offered.

There is so much more that goes into the spirit of the Passover Meal that I hope to share with you in my next post, in particular the symbolic nature of what the Lord taught in this Feast. It is also significant to note the two big changes the Lord creates in His last meal upon this earth.

Luke 15: 25-32

When we hear the words, “The Parable of the Prodigal Son,” we normally think of the younger brother who took his inheritance, wasted it, became humbled, and returned home. There is a whole other story, however, involving the older brother.

What kind of a relationship did the two brothers have? Were the brothers constantly squabbling? Did the younger brother push his elder siblings buttons? Did the older one condescend to his younger brother? Were they both glad when the younger brother finally decided he’d had enough and ran off?

Or were they the best of friends, working side by side on their father’s land? Perhaps the older brother worked just a bit harder than his younger sibling, who hated the life they led. Did the younger brother often voice his desires to break free of the world he felt trapped in, daydreaming of what wonderful things he could discover if he were to experience more of the world?

Try to imagine how hard it must have been to watch his younger brother walk off with all that money, knowing he’d be dipping into the pleasures of the world. Imagine watching your father’s face grow pale with worry as day after day there came no word of his wayward offspring. I would imagine as time went by the older brother came to resent everything his younger sibling put the family through. Slowly his heart would have hardened toward the young man he once considered family.

After all this, how would you feel if one night, after a long day in the fields, you came up to the house where music and dancing could be seen and heard. The older brother asked one of the servants what was going on.

“Your brother’s come back,” he says. “Your dad has put together a party because he’s so happy!”

Is it any wonder the older brother felt angry? Here he’d been, slaving away day after day, watching his father grieve, trying to make up for his brother’s absence, doing everything he could to be the good son. In one moment all that changed. Not only had the younger brother had a great time out in the world, now he even got a party just because he’d come back. It was not fair.

The older brother refused to come into the house. After a time, his father came looking for him. By this time he’d probably built up a good amount of steam, and the moment his father came out he let all the angry feelings vent.

It is difficult for youth to understand what it means for a parent to have a wayward child come home. Though at times parents may rant and rave when bad choices