What a week, no? I think that this was the first time in all my life that I´ve come to really appreciate this time of year. First of all, for the first time in my time in Argentina, the people actually observed the Sabbath day, there was hardly anyone in the street! I was pumped! Haha but it actually made it pretty hard to talk with people since there weren´t any. Unlike Christmas, there were no bombs nor fireworks being set off. There was no normal bustle and hustle as usual (although it was still quite loud anyways). There weren´t any changos in the street selling substances less than legal. But best of all, there weren´t quite as many homeless people hanging around in the street. I think to myself, that must mean that they are in some place where they belong. Who knows, maybe a family member´s house, maybe they grouped together in a big old group, or maybe they all found a little quiet hiding place to avoid the worldly noise. Easter sunday in Argentina is more like Christmas in the US. And well, Christmas here is hardly peaceful.
Let us all think of our homes and our families and our quiet places. Let us all think of the love that we feel as members of loving families. Let us think of the joy that we´ve all had in this life. It´s a wonderful life, isn´t it!!!! Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy!
Now... think of those times when nothing seemed to go right. Or when nothing made sense. Times when family was far away and you were all alone to make a decision, times when it was hard to get up in the morning and hard to get back into bed only to start all over again. Think of the unfair life that ¨God gave us¨ and the bad things that happen to good people. It all seems hopeless.
Why is life such a roller-coaster? I´ve asked myself multiple times why it´s so hard for people who want to do what´s right. I´ve come to the conclusion that even when we know the answer, it´s hard to accept, even so, we don´t accept it at times. We suffer because it´s necessary to grow... But why wouldn´t God give us just a little less suffering? I get the point so why is the suffering so great?
I don´t have an answer for the additional questions but I do know one thing. That one Man does know why. He knows you. He understands you. Even though it seems as though nothing seems to go right or that nothing makes sense. He is there. He is there when your family is far away and you have to make a decision. He makes sense when nothing else seems to do the same. He makes it easy to get up in the morning and easy to get back into bed after a long day full of pains in the neck, pains in the back, and pains in the soul.
Jesus Christ suffered for each one of us individually in the Garden of Gethsemane. And he will come forth suffering pains and afflictions of every kind that he may know how to succor his brothers and sisters (scripture in the Book of Mormon). After bleeding from every pore and suffering a pain a million times stronger than anything that you could ever feel, He submitted himself to death at the hands of sinners and hypocrites to fulfill the will of the Father and complete His divine mission. Yesterday, we celebrated the life, the suffering, the death, and the highest source of hope on the face of the earth. Christ has risen. He lives. And He will always have His merciful arm extended toward you. I know it, I live it, I love it!
Elder Philpot
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