The Real Meaning of Easter

I have to admit I'm not a big fan of the Easter Bunny. In fact, I think he wasn't mentioned much in our house until the big night after we colored our easter eggs with cousins. This year the Easter Bunny hid the dozen eggs that they colored, and then gave each of them a church book and way too much candy (which I promptly hid in the cupboard). Sam and Clay were both very excited about the book they got, "Preach the Gospel." Clay's first response was, "We can give family home evening lessons out of this book. Can me and Sam do it tomorrow night?"

Of Course

Sam and Clay wake up Monday morning and Clay says, we're going to do page 51, it's about the Atonement. Sam comes upstairs and he's got notes and paper bookmarks in his book. Time comes for the lesson that night, and Clay says, I really like page 17 too. OK, you can do them both. Sam says, I liked page 54, it was about the premortal existence, and stuff like that. OK, do that too.

Clay starts with the questions. He nods at our answers and tells us we're right, and sometimes adds his own insight. At the end he shows the picture of Joseph Smith reading the Bible and bears his testimony of studying the scriptures, and the truthfulness of the gospel. Nate and I were both in tears. Then Sam started to read about Christ and what His sacrifice means to us in our lives. They made a seamless transition at a specific predetermined point in their books, then Clay finished the discussion. Sam concluded with his testimony that Jesus loves him and the church is true.

I don't know that I could have been more happy with my two little boys, passionately sharing the gospel, and doing it in such a pure and innocent way. It made me feel, for a small moment, that we must be doing something right.

So, if you want to know the real meaning of Easter, I know two young boys who can't wait to be missionaries and share that knowledge with the world.