Because He Lives!

This week we are celebrating Easter at our house.  Starting last week, during our morning devotionals, we have been learning about the Savior's last week before His crucifixion and resurrection.  We are using the timeline found in the April 2011 Friend magazine (HERE). 

Last night we also had an Easter FHE.  (We also had a total melt-down/tantrum right before the opening prayer.  It was pretty awesome.  Finally a game of trampoline dodge-ball was able to get all the aggression out and we were able to move on with the rest of the evening.) #5 was in charge of the lesson.  She shared the Church's new Easter video- Because He Lives!  She then told us the story President Faust used in his talk, The Atonement:  Our Greatest Hope.

 "He took my whipping for me"

(Cute video of this story HERE)

Some years ago, President Gordon B. Hinckley told “something of a parable” about “a one room school house in the mountains of Virginia where the boys were so rough no teacher had been able to handle them.

“Then one day an inexperienced young teacher applied. He was told that every teacher had received an awful beating, but the teacher accepted the risk. The first day of school the teacher asked the boys to establish their own rules and the penalty for breaking the rules. The class came up with 10 rules, which were written on the blackboard. Then the teacher asked, ‘What shall we do with one who breaks the rules?’

“‘Beat him across the back ten times without his coat on,’ came the response.

“A day or so later, … the lunch of a big student, named Tom, was stolen. ‘The thief was located—a little hungry fellow, about ten years old.’

“As Little Jim came up to take his licking, he pleaded to keep his coat on. ‘Take your coat off,’ the teacher said. ‘You helped make the rules!’

“The boy took off the coat. He had no shirt and revealed a bony little crippled body. As the teacher hesitated with the rod, Big Tom jumped to his feet and volunteered to take the boy’s licking.

“‘Very well, there is a certain law that one can become a substitute for another. Are you all agreed?’ the teacher asked.

“After five strokes across Tom’s back, the rod broke. The class was sobbing. ‘Little Jim had reached up and caught Tom with both arms around his neck. “Tom, I’m sorry that I stole your lunch, but I was awful hungry. Tom, I will love you till I die for taking my licking for me! Yes, I will love you forever!”’” 

President Hinckley then quoted Isaiah: (Isaiah 53:4-5)

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. …

“… He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

I am grateful for the Savior.  No matter what I've done or what I've not done in my life.  No matter who I am or who I was, He is here for me, for you, for all of us.  No matter what.