Remembering the Reason to Celebrate

Jerika N., Arizona, USA

Illustration by Brian Call

On Easter Sunday we had a unique lesson in our Young Women class. We were each given a paper to write down what happened during the days of the Savior’s last week in mortality. For the day of the Resurrection, we came together with all of the young women and listened to a narration of the final hours of the Savior’s life. As it neared the end, I stood up with several other young women to hold up portraits of the Savior.

When I stood up, I noticed that Meghan, an autistic girl in our Laurel class, was crying. I asked a friend to take my place, and I went over to Meghan. After the presentation was over, Meghan began filling out the space on her paper to describe the Savior’s last day. As she finished, my heart was filled with love and humility as I read what she had written from her heart—simple, innocent, and pure: “He will be with us forever.”

That is the reason we celebrate. We are grateful for the Atonement, for Jesus Christ’s suffering, and for the Resurrection. And it is what happens because of these things that we should be truly grateful for. Because He died for us, because of the Atonement, we will live again; death is not the end (see 1 Corinthians 15:3–4, 12–22). We can live with Christ forever. He loves us so much, and that is why He atoned for us. By repenting, by keeping the commandments, by serving others, by being selfless and humble—just like Meghan is trying to be—we too can become perfect and live with our Father in Heaven for eternity.