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Week 13: Easter

Week 12

Week 14

Week 12

Week 13: Easter

Week 14

“He Shall Rise … with Healing in His Wings”

The Saviour occupied altogether a different position from any other man. What was his calling? It was to save the world, to shed his blood to atone for Adam's sin, to atone for the fall of man; it was to conquer death and the grave and the powers of darkness; it was to prepare the resurrection for the salvation of mortal men, that they might become immortal, come forth out of the grave to immortality and eternal life. [Romans 5:11-21] This was a different mission entirely from that performed by Elias, Elijah or any of the ancient prophets or any of the prophets in this day and generation. No other man was ever called in this world to perform the same mission. Christ was chosen from before the foundation of the world to fulfilit. The Father sent his only begotten son to perform this work. And when I look at the life of the saviour, from his birth in the manger to his death on the cross, I cannot find an ensample upon the face of the whole earth in all the history of men, from the days of father Adam to the present time that passed through a lower degree than he. Born in a stable and cradled in a manger! The foxes had holes but the Son of Man had nowhere to lay his head! He continued thus all through his ministry until he gave up the Gghost upon the Cross, and when there he said "it is finished." What was finished? We would say there has been no revelation since Jesus gave up the ghost and said "it is finished? What was finished? His suffering , his labor in the flesh was finished. But was the victory over the grave finished? No. He was the first personage that rose from the grave. All the old patriarchs and prophets, from father Adam down, whose bodies lay in the tomb & remained there until the Son of God came forth out of his grave, ^who looked with great anxiety for the resurrection of their bodies but had to wait for the resurrection of Christ.^ With him arose many of the ancient saints. That was his mission.

Discourse 1875-06-27

I have long felt that the most important verse in all scripture, and in fact the most important sentence in any record, is found in Luke 24:6: “He is not here, but is risen.” Without a knowledge of Christ and His Resurrection, as Wilford Woodruff said, “The separation by death is one of the most gloomy subjects it is possible to contemplate.” But, he continued, “As quick as we obtain the gospel, as soon as the spirit of man is enlightened by the inspiration of the Almighty, he can exclaim with one of old—‘Oh grave, where is thy victory, Oh death, where is thy sting? The sting of death is sin, and the gift of God is eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ”¹

For much of my life, I knew that Christ’s Resurrection was important, but it was also abstract. I hadn’t experienced the all-encompassing sorrow that necessarily follows the loss of someone irreplaceable, and as such, I hadn’t given great thought to the miracle of life after death. Not until my mom unexpectedly passed away in January of 2020, when suddenly I was plunged into deep waters—my only lifeline being my knowledge of the plan of salvation. Without that knowledge, my grief would have been insurmountable. But the truths of Christ’s gospel buoyed me up, bringing peace and strength.

Another balm that has soothed my grief is a revelation I received while reading this question in Luke 24:5: “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” While this may seem like an odd verse to find comfort in, to me, it is a reminder that my mom still lives, though not in the way I wish she did. I do not feel closer to her when I visit the cemetery, beautiful as it is, because her spirit is not there. I cannot find her living spirit among the dead. At a funeral in 1875, Wilford Woodruff testified, “In every death there is a birth; the spirit leaves the body dead to us, and passes to the other side of the veil alive to that great and noble company that are also working for the accomplishment of the purposes of God, in the redemption and salvation of a fallen world.”² When I consider that a tearful farewell on earth is a joyful reunion and a celebration of life on the other side of the veil, peace softens my sorrow.

Because of Jesus Christ, I have hope for the future. Because of Him, I know that I will get to hug and laugh with my mom again. And I know that in the meantime, she is experiencing a new birth, her spirit more alive than ever as she engages in God’s work.

Ashlyn is the Associate Editor for the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation. She recently graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in Editing and Publishing, and she is grateful to use her experience to help with this incredible Project. When she isn’t editing or reading historical documents, you can typically find her spending time with her husband and baby, playing the piano or the organ, singing, running, or enjoying the outdoors.

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