While I know Easter is a week behind us on the calendar, the message of Easter should remain constant in our hearts. In October 2006 General Conference, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin gave one of my favorite talks, “Sunday Will Come.” He said:
“I think of how dark that Friday was when Christ was lifted up on the cross. On that terrible Friday, the earth shook and grew dark. Frightful storms lashed out at the earth. Those evil men who sought His life rejoiced.”
“Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus both were overcome with grief and despair. The superb Man they had loved and honored hung lifeless upon the cross.”
“On that Friday, the Savior of mankind was humiliated and bruised and abused and reviled. . . .I think of all the days since the beginning of this world’s history, that Friday was the darkest. But the doom of that day did not endure. The despair did not linger, because on Sunday, the resurrected Lord burst the bonds of death. He ascended from the grave and appeared gloriously triumphant as the Savior of all mankind.”
“And in an instant the eyes that had been filled with ever-flowing tears dried. The lips that had whispered prayers of distress and grief now filled the air with wondrous praise. . . .”
“Each of us will have our own Fridays- those days when the universe itself seems shattered, and shards of our world lie littered upon us in pieces. We will all experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.”
“But I testify in the name of the One who conquered death – Sunday will come. . . On that day, we will know the love of our Heavenly Father. On that day, we will rejoice that the Messiah overcame all that we could live forever.”
“Because of our beloved Redeemer, we can lift our voices even in the midst of our darkest Fridays, and proclaim: Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory?”
“From the depths of my soul, I rejoice in the glory of the gospel. . . .May you understand and live in thanksgiving for the priceless gifts that come to us as sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father, and for the promise of that bright day when we shall all rise triumphantly from the grave.”
“That we may we always know, and remember, no matter how dark our Friday – Sunday will come!”
There is so much comfort in this message, not only for us who are living today, but for those who have passed on. It makes me want to do all I can for the living as well as those who have passed on. The blessings of the resurrection are promised through the events that allow us to celebrate Easter.
Think how great our reunion will be with those who have already completed their mortal journey if we have been fortunate enough to have brought blessings into their lives.
– Doug Nielsen, Director, Granite FamilySearch Center