"I know that my Redeemer lives" & Luke 24:7

October 05, 2022

"I know that my Redeemer lives" & Luke 24:7

Well well well, let's go over some highlights for the week, shall we?!

We got assigned to a new branch and district this week. Even though we didn't move they wanted to put us closer to our home. So, no more 45-minute drives to district meetings haha!
Our new district is awesome! They are so nice and super funny as well! It's so fun to meet completely different people and figure out a new vibe!
We figured out that the park right next to where we live has this group of people who go and play soccer every Friday! So we went this week with a friend we're teaching English to and it was so much fun! We're going to try and keep that up!
WE FOUND ALL 50 STATES! This week we found our final license plate, which was North Dakota! And we actually found it twice this week haha! So that was awesome!
Lastly we watched conference on Saturday with our friend Yuan Pei and that was a blast! And on Sunday we went to a church right next to us! And this church is cool because it looks like an office building because there's like no room for a full church. So they just made it 3 stories tall! So we watched on the 3rd floor with some random members and it was awesome!

Alright well! I'm gonna switch things up. Because this is my message and I feel I have earned this right. Believe it or not I'm not going to talk about conference. If this just enrages you, then I apologize. But rather, I'd like to take this time and add my testimony. It's no conference talk, but it's a message about our Savior. Ironically, this topic was mentioned in conference when President Nelson challenged us to turn to the topical guide and read everything on Christ. I'll be honest, I didn't know this was a thing until last week when I heard that challenge. I'm not one to back down so I turned to the scriptures. There are 18 pages in the topical guide all referring to Jesus Christ. But how it all starts off is of the Story of Christ's life. It gives you and overview of his ministry and life on the earth. It goes through multiple accounts and is chronological. On Wednesday and Thursday, I had gotten to the end of Christ's life on the earth where it talks about the most important even in all of human history: the Savior's atonement and resurrection.

Brothers and Sisters, I add my testimony to the truth of these events. As I flipped through the pages, my eyes teared up as I read the different accounts of the Savior's suffering.

I am not quite positive where to start, so I'm going to go through some of the highlights I loved, and hopefully somewhere in there you can feel the infinite love the Savior has for YOU! Before this week, I am just fine to say that there were many things I simply didn't know about the Savior's crucifixion. There were many things that struck me as I learned more. As Christ carried his cross up Golgotha, they offered him wine mingled with myrrh, as stated in the book of Mark. Death by crucifixion is one of the most brutal and painful forms of death. It was Jewish custom to offer this as a sort of anesthetic to ease the pain and suffering of what was to come. Right after, we can read that the Savior would not drink. When given the option to have even just a slight amount of relief, he said no. Why? Because he didn't want his senses to be dulled. He wanted to be conscious and aware and feel the complete sacrifice of his perfect atonement! Right after the Savior was crucified and nailed to the cross they took his garments right in front of his face and cast lots for them. As he hung in pain he watched as even his clothes were made but into a game of luck and bragging rights. Those same people he watched were the same people he was nailed to a cross for.

Christ's suffering did not end here. A cross is not far off the ground; you aren't above the people who have come to watch. We read that people "railed on him" as they passed by and questioned his glory. Saying phrases such as, "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God." With this phrase, they mock God the Father, who he served and loved. They made fun of Christ's title, authority, glory, power, and self as they egged him on to deliver himself. We know that our Savior was well capable of delivering himself. Once again, he chose the more difficult route over the easier one. He suffered as people could be within inches of his face. These weren't attacks from afar, they were up close, personal attacks. I'd assume there was much more pain that occurred while he was lifted on the cross both physically, emotionally, and mentally. We can again see why Jesus can PERFECTLY succor us. The hits we take in life, whether physical, verbal, social, emotional, spiritual, or mental, have all been experienced by Christ. Those moments when you feel like there's no one who could possibly feel your pain, I invite you to read this account. Not so that you feel your pains are small, but so that you know how much his love and sacrifice covered. I am willing to bet there is 100% chance that your pains and trials fall perfectly within his reach.

In these last moments of Christ's life we witness his full character. Which is simply, turning out when others would turn in. We read about him looking upon his sweet mother. With love, he beckons to one of his apostles to look upon her. Essentially making sure that she would be taken care of after he passed. The very men who rented his clothes, scourged him, and yelled insults from the crowd, he asked His Father to forgive. He did that in the very same moment these things were happening to him. He needed no time to hold his grudge, because he loved them. I'm sure beyond the physical pain for himself was the knowledge of the pain that would come eventually to those people that reviled him. Broken-hearted and broken-boned, the Savior sacrificed. It wasn't until the ninth hour when the Savior's spirit finally departed from his body. His mortal suffering had ended and he gone the same way the rest of the earth had gone.

But Christ's story doesn't end here. No, it only gets better. Because Christ did something no other had done. Just as he has prophesied he arose. After 3 days he conquered death, breaking the chains that would have tied us all down.

As he appeared to Mary Magdalene, I can only imagine her shock. Not only had this never been done before, but the last time she saw his physical body, imagine the scars he had. But when she sees him at the tomb, he is perfect. However, the Savior decided to leave a couple of things not completely healed. His hands, his feet, and his side. How could he take those precious scars away? We are all marked on his hands and his feet. Those scars will never fade!

Brothers and Sisters, my testimony is scrambled, and it's continually growing, but it is strong. There is no doubt in my mind or heart that these things are true. This is no fairy tale story or fictitious event. No, our Savior truly knelt down in a garden and prayed for each of us, where he was immediately betrayed and taken prisoner. His unfair trial was a sentence to death. He was crucified for each of us. But we have no need to fear because CHRIST HAS RISEN. He is not dead, he is alive!

After Christ's death there was darkness. But, my goodness, the light that came just three days later! We will all have our version of Friday (the day of the Savior's crucifixion). There will be darkness, and there will be pain. But one of the most glorious truths that ever has been told is that Sunday will come! There will be glory, there will be light, there will healing. To all struggling, LEAN on your Savior. Turn to Jesus Christ's name in the scriptures and read what He did for YOU!

The words ring true from one of my favorite hymns and that is my testimony: I know that my Redeemer lives!

我爱你们！再见，

司长老