Easter Sunday

What a beautiful day here in the Philippines. We attended the San Fernando 2nd Ward today. San Fernando is about 30-45 minutes from where we live. The people are so friendly. It doesn't matter where we go to church, people will come from the back of the chapel to shake our hands. They always ask where we are from. Today someone asked if we knew President Monson. We told him that we had met him. They were so excited!

This week I have been reading the accounts in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John of the last week of our Savior's life. It has been so interesting to read and in my mind see those place where the events took place. We were blessed to take a trip to Jerusalem a few years ago and visit these sites. We even walked the path that Jesus took those last few days of his life.

We sat in the upper room.

We sat in the Garden of Gethsemane and we visited the Garden Tomb.

At each place we would stop and read scriptures that pertained to that site and our guide, Matt Chipman (an Institute teacher at the U of U), would give in site and history of these places. Stan McConkie, the son of Bruce R. McConkie, was also on the trip and gave additional information to us. One of the special moments was at the Garden Tomb. We listened to the last testimony of Bruce R. McConkie and then sang "I Believe In Christ". We then had a testimony meeting. Our Jewish guide had watched from afar. After we sang he must have thought we were done and he came closer to where we were sitting and listened to the testimonies that were born. Later on the bus, he told us, that 'we had brought tears to this old Jewish man's eye." The spirit was strong that day.

We need to always remember that we are examples to those around us, regardless of their religion or where they are from. We need to love as our Savior did and show kindness to others. Today in Sunday School, we were discussing John 7 & 8. Chapter 8 tells the story of the woman who was brought before Jesus in the temple because she had been caught in the act of adultery. By Moses' law, she should be stoned. Jesus told these men that 'He that is without sin among you, let him cast a stone at her.' Then Jesus stooped down and began to write in the sand. When he got up, it was just him and the woman . He told her that she should go and sin no more. I love that part.

Elder Marvin J Ashton explained this story this way, "The scribes and the Pharisees brought before the Savior a women taken in adultery. Their purpose was not to show love for with the woman or the Savior, but to embarrass and trick Jesus . . . Jesus did not condone adultery; there is no doubt about His attitude toward proper conduct. [But] He chose to teach with love - to show the scribes and the Pharisees the need of serving the individual for her best good and to show the destructive forces of trickery and embarrassment."

May we always remember to love as our Savior did! I am grateful for the sacrifice He made for you and me so that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father someday.