Happy Easter!

My companion got a book of 108 Hello Kitty fake tattoos for Easter, and he let me use one :) I probably haven't put one of these on since I was 7 or 8, but I remember my mom putting dinosaurs on my hands! Today we are going to play soccer for our P-day activity, and I know for a fact that I'll run faster with Hello Kitty on my leg.

For Easter, we have been sharing a 3 minute video with everyone we can about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Please check it out! the url is mormon.org/becauseofhim.

As I have watched it, I have had many thoughts come into my mind. Many people in the world today who face many pains and challenges look at their trials as evidence that we do not have a loving Heavenly Father. To me, this is a logical idea that shows the faults of human understanding. We learn from Isaiah 55:8-9 that God's thoughts are not our thoughts. He allows us to go through physical pains and temporal struggles to make us stronger. Jesus Christ's life was given in pain (Isaiah 53:3-5) yet he never for a second doubted His Fathers will or his divine mission to save us, His spiritual family. Our Savior knew that physical welfare and spiritual welfare do not always reflect one another in an immediate sense. Often, severe physical trials are a requirement to strengthen our spirits to their full potential. But, if we live the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can be assured that we will be able to live in a world after this life with no physical pain, no heartbreak, no guilt, and no challenges. We will live forever in a state of perfect happiness and peace. However, if we forget our Creator and seek the vain things of the world, we have no such promise. Pleasures of the world, such and drugs, alcohol, sex, or even public recognition, are all spiritual dangers that can lead us to sin against our Father in Heaven. Many of these pleasures do seem good because they can immediately benefit our physical senses, but the only way to obtain everlasting rewards both spiritually and physically is to follow Jesus Christ. As I have tried my best to live His gospel, I have learned and grown under the grace of my Savior. I am certain that He lives now and that he came to earth as my personal Savior. Please turn to Him, and He will not forsake you or forget to reward you. Don't give up if you feel that God has forsaken you. I know that those who patiently wait on the Lord will not be forgotten.