Mend. A simple four-letter word that has so much meaning. It is healing. It can change the course of your life. It creates closure for you and others. It can even bring people together. That simple four-letter word can change us for the better and make the world a better place.
To mend or mending truly come from our Savior, Jesus Christ. In Matthew 11:28, Christ says, “come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Christ truly will take on our burdens and helps us through all of lives twists and turns. Where can we feel the Savior the closest? In the Temple.
 
Let’s look at the word temple recommend. See it now? Embedded in the word is mend, a temple recommend gives us the keys to unlock more mending power. Through finding Christ in the temple, we can be mended from all of lives woes, yes all. Healing and mending are in the Lord’s timing, but temple worship allows all of us to mend and see his timing play out. Providing the clarity to see God and understanding how and when the healing will happen.
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Is the temple the only place we can be mended and healed? No, but the temple is a powerful place to be mended. In order to enter the Lord’s house, we need a temple recommend. It unlocks the healing and mending power we can feel through our Savior. Elder Renlund’s talk on Family History and Temple Work, he shares that we can claim the healing blessings found within the temple. These blessings will and can unlock the power of mending and healing.
Let us have a temple recommend gaining the power for mending and healing unlocked through our Savior, in the temple.- Brother Clayton

• Set goals or challenges for yourself and take them seriously. Brother Clayton has challenged all the youth to do the work for 100 people by the end of this year - what a great opportunity to help ourselves and others focus on temple attendance.

2.Time management-President Nelson said, "I bless you to identify those things you can set aside so you can spend more time in the temple". Prayerfully consider that and use that blessing to make the adjustments needed to prioritize the temple.

3.Physical Limitations-. President Nelson said, "Should distance, health challenges, or other constraints prohibit your temple attendance … I invite you to set a regular time to rehearse in your mind the covenants you have made."

4.Expired recommend-Brother Clayton and Brother Johnston will make themselves available before and after church on Sunday's and before and after youth activities on Wednesday (just give us a heads up on Wednesday's so we can be dressed appropriately).

5.Worthiness- If there is something that is bothering you, go see the bishop. He represents the Savior. Go and "cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you" (Psalm 55:22). "Come unto [the Savior], all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and [He] will give you rest. Take [His] yoke upon you … for [His] yoke is easy, and [His] burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30). "Will ye not now return unto [Him], and repent of your sins … that [He] may heal you? … [His] arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will [He] receive. Behold, for such [He has] laid down [His] life … therefore repent, and come unto [Him] … and be saved." (3 Nephi 9:13, 14, 22). The Savior wants to forgive.
 
 
Our prophet has promised many blessings including greater access to the Lord's strengthening power, protection from the buffetings of the world, experiencing the pure love of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father, a feeling of peace and spiritual reassurance, and much more. May we each have a greater desire to go and then put it into action. -Brother Johnston

Jesus Christ taught  “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”(Matthew 6:20-21)

What treasures did the Savior try to lay up for himself in heaven? 


Just prior to the restoration of the church, the Savior said this,
in revelation to Joseph Smith: 
“Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;
For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.
And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance. And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!” (D&C 18:10–13.)
We are his treasure! We are his glory! (Moses 1:39). His hand is out stretched still (Isaiah 9:12). Come unto come to him and receive his peace. 

For the first time this year, the First Presidency sent out a letter to church leadership informing them that we would not have 2nd-hour church classes on Easter. In addition, the Sacrament Meeting should provide "an opportunity to feature Christ-centered messages and sacred music." This follows a pattern set several years ago when Christmas fell on a Sunday. Then and ever since, the Sunday closest to Christmas has been streamlined down to a single Sacrament Meeting to allow church members to spend more time with family and friends in the celebration of the holy holiday.

During his message in conference, Elder Stevenson shared his experience as he sought the Luke 2 equivalent for Easter that he could read with his family. He shared the following:  

• “How do we model the teaching and celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Easter story, with the same balance, fullness, and rich religious tradition of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Christmas story? ...Just as we can read Luke 2 at Christmas, we can read the Savior’s Easter ministry to the people of the Americas in the Book of Mormon as found in 3 Nephi. In reality, the Book of Mormon shares the greatest Easter story ever told. Let it not be the greatest Easter story never told."

​There are other options to enhance our scripture study during the Easter season. President Nelson shared with us that as we participate in "Come, Follow Me" the week preceding Easter, we would be offered an opportunity to read about the events of the last week of the Savior's mortal ministry, including cleansing the temple, the trial, crucifixion, and resurrection.

I strongly suggest reviewing the Liahona magazine for the month of April 2023. In it, you will find the First Presidency Easter Message, an article from the prophet on the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the restoration of His gospel, as well as an eight-day suggested study plan starting on Palm Sunday and going through Easter.

​After returning from my mission, at one point I made an attempt to read The Work and the Glory series by Gerald Lund. Although I never really appreciated the story and abandoned the series after the third book, there is one scene that is forever imprinted upon my memory. The mother, Mary Ann Steed, had made herself a New Year's resolution to read the gospels prior to Easter. She got up early on Easter morning to read the last 3 chapters of John and finish her goal. Her son Nathan (what a good name) got up, and the following exchange occurred:
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• "What are you reading?"
• She answered without looking up. "The twentieth chapter of John. It is dawn of that first Easter morning. Mary has just come to the tomb to see if there is anything more she can do for the crucified Master."
• Nathan murmured softly, "That's appropriate reading for this morning."
• "Yes. I could have finished it three or four days ago, but I wanted to save it for today."

The characters go on to read the account of the resurrection, which then leads naturally into a discussion of the restoration.

I am grateful for the focus our leaders are placing on Easter this year, and I expect that same emphasis will continue in the future. Even if you read this message well after Easter, I challenge you to think of ways to make the Easter season more sacred for you and your families in the future.

Jonah admits his reasons for his afflictions in verse 2, which is what the world doesn’t do today. Many don’t want to admit their wrongs; they would rather blame them on others than take ownership.

I believe one of the reasons God “heard him” is because of Jonah’s sincere repentance and contrition, for he cried it. This prayer would have been a true “belly of hell” moment, which we all have had at different points in our lives. We have been symbolically in a whale or in a tried part of our lives and then we have that moment of sweetness, when our voice, our cries, our prayers are heard.

Jesus in Gethsemane understood each of our “belly of hell” moments because He paid the price for those moments. Jesus lived through those moments, for us. I love the story of Jonah.

Upon hearing this conference talk, I couldn't shake the feeling that God was talking to me.  But I didn't want to ask for a trial or challenge.  I'm all too familiar with the stories of Joseph Smith, Job, and even Jesus Christ.  I have complete faith that we grow through our challenges.  But still, I had no desire to bring them on (then or now).
Several days later, I still was thinking about this talk.  I knew that I had to address it.  So, at night, I prayed, explaining to Heavenly Father that I had no desire to go through serious trials or challenges.  However, I concluded my prayer with the phrase "Thy will be done."  And then I waited and reflected.
The thought that then came to my mind surprised me.  I was taught that there are more ways to grow than by passing through trials.  I had the impression that if I were to continue serving in my callings in the church, these experiences would refine me and I would, temporarily at least, be sheltered from major trials.
I recently re-read and reflected on my patriarchal blessing that provided further insight into this personal revelation.  It states, in summary, the following:
It will be your privilege to receive many callings which will:

• Test your abilities
• Give you opportunities for growth
• Strengthen your testimony of the Gospel
• Strengthen your commitment to keep the commandments

Both of these experiences are personal.  Each of us will progress and grow through different experiences.  However, there is truth in the principle that growth occurs thorough both overcoming trials and through service.
Joseph Smith said:  "After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted.  When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of St. John, in the 14th chapter, from the 12th to the 27th verses." [History of the Church, 3:379-381; emphasis added]
I am grateful for our ward and the willingness of all who are called to serve.  I know that God will bless you through your service.