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Easter Lesson Ideas

I first used a questionnaire to see what they know about the last week of  Jesus' life found in the  1994 April New Era.  One the back of this   questionnaire was a list of ideas to make Easter more meaningful, also  found in the New Era (April l995 Issue).

My other reference material came from "The Easter Story" by W. Cleon  Skousen,  published by The Ensign Publishing Company in l966.

(For my family, I have an Easter basket full of  eggs with a scripture  reference in each.  The eggs are numbered so we'll know which day to open  that egg.)

     Day of Anointing
     Saturday
     - Jesus is anointed in Bethany by Mary.  Reference: Luke 7:37-38 44-46
           Do we "anoint" others - in word and action?

     Day of Popularity
     Sunday
     - Jesus enters Jerusalem in triumph.  Reference: Luke l9:35-38
           Would we be one of those who cheered as Christ rode into the city or would   we ask, "Who is this?" (Reference: Matt 2l:l0-ll)

     Day of Authority
     Monday
     - Christ curses the barren fig tree and cleanses the temple.   Reference:   Luke 19:45-46
           Think about why He had to cleanse the temple....think about what me might    need to "cleanse" in our own lives....Would Christ feel welcome and   comfortable in our presence and in our homes?

     Day of Conflict
     Tuesday
     - Jesus teaches in the temple and on the Mount of Olives - Matt 21 & 25
          Show your family the video "What Think Ye of Christ" from the Family Home   Evening Video - It is beautiful and moving.  After watching, ask your family  the same question Christ asked the Pharisees was "What think ye of  Christ?.... "

     Day of Rest
     Wednesday
     - Jesus probably spends a day of rest with his friends at Bethany.
          Today I've been giving a lot of thought to the Savior and trying to give   greater meaning to the Easter message. Today is the "Day of Rest" in Jesus'

     Last Days - a day probably spent with friends.   I think of all the times in  my life when I've been greatly troubled, in need of solace; where do I   go???? When my heart is most troubled I can say I turn to the Lord...and I   want to be in the temple. A few years ago I struggled w/great pain in my  heart over something that I felt was hurting one of my children. I couldn't   sleep, I wasn't hungry in a temporal sense, I was very emotional, my heart   very heavy....no one could comfort, except the Lord. My thoughts and prayers  were continually pouring out to the HIM...and He did comfort. Comforted in   "sending" friends my way...sending peace to my heart...sending "rest" in my   knowledge of the gospel.

     My reason for sharing this is to pose a question....Do you think the Lord  has a heavy heart at times, knowing one of His children needs help, and He   turns to us. Do we reach out with the hand of friendship to those who need  comfort, in need of "rest"? Do we listen to the prompting of the spirit when they come and follow through?
     Would the Lord have come to our home that last Wednesday to "rest". Do we  seek the Lord when we need to "rest" from the world. And even more than   this, do we provide a place of "rest" for those who have the need???? Do we  labor diligently to persuade others, especially the young women we have   stewardship over, to seek the "rest" of God?

     The word "rest" will always have greater meaning for me after today.   Read Jacob l:7 today....