2014-05-00-ensign-eng

By Elder D. Todd ChristoffersonOf the Quorum of the Twelve ApostlesThe Resurrectionof Jesus ChristJesus of Nazareth is the resurrected Redeemer, and I testify ofall that follows from the fact of His Resurrection.Acrushing sense of defeat anddespair enveloped His disciplesas Jesus suffered anddied on the cross and His body wasplaced lifeless in the tomb. Despitewhat the Savior had repeatedly saidof His death and subsequent risingagain, they had not understood. Thedark afternoon of His Crucifixion,however, was soon followed by thejoyous morning of His Resurrection.But that joy came only as the disciplesbecame eyewitnesses of theResurrection, for even the declarationof angels that He had risen wasat first incomprehensible—it wassomething so totally unprecedented.Mary Magdalene and a few otherfaithful women came early to theSavior’s tomb that Sunday morning,bringing spices and ointments tocomplete the anointing begun whenthe Lord’s body was hastily laid inthe sepulchre before the approachingSabbath. On this morning of mornings,they were greeted by an opensepulchre, the covering stone havingbeen rolled away, and two angels whodeclared:“Why seek ye the living amongthe dead?“He is not here, but is risen:remember how he spake unto youwhen he was yet in Galilee,“Saying, The Son of man must bedelivered into the hands of sinful men,and be crucified, and the third day riseagain.” 1“Come, see the place where theLord lay.“And go quickly, and tell his disciplesthat he is risen from the dead.” 2As bidden by the angels, MaryMagdalene looked into the tomb, butit seems that all that registered in hermind was that the body of the Lordwas gone. She hurried to report to theApostles and, finding Peter and John,said to them, “They have taken awaythe Lord out of the sepulchre, andwe know not where they have laidhim.” 3 Peter and John ran to the placeand verified that indeed the tombwas empty, seeing “the linen clotheslying . . . and the napkin, that wasabout his head, . . . wrapped togetherin a place by itself.” 4 John apparentlywas the first to comprehend themagnificent message of resurrection.He writes that “he saw, and believed,”whereas the others to that point “knewnot the scripture, that [ Jesus] must riseagain from the dead.” 5Peter and John left, but Maryremained behind, still in mourning. Inthe meantime the angels had returnedMay 2014111