April 20th, 2025 6:54pm MDT
Provo, Utah – Before the dedication of the Paris French Temple in 2017, 12 Apostles and his wife, Elder Dale G. Renland, quorum of the 12 Apostles and his wife, Sister Ruth Renland, escorted a group of clergymen through the temple.
While pausing to praise the painting of the Resurrected Lord, Renland was asked if he believed in the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Their answer emphasized, “Yes, we will definitely do it,” Elder Renland said in an Easter message on Sunday, April 20th.
Elder Renland and his wife, Sister Renland, spoke with a meeting of hundreds of dedicated missionaries at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. Prayers were also broadcast and watched in real time to 10 other MTCs in churches around the world, with others watching behind the tape.
Elder Renland encouraged missionaries to equally emphasize teaching and testifying the resurrection of the Savior.
“The resurrection was not only literal to Jesus Christ, but it would be literal to those who have lived in or lived on earth before,” he said. “The resurrection is a universal gift that God gives to all children who come to the earth and receive their bodies.”
The literal and universal resurrection of the Savior is one of the reasons members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints celebrate Easter. Elder Renland focused on three main reasons: “Why celebrate Easter?”
A man can repent, learn from sin, avoid the suffering that he is not condemned by them, and otherwise guarantees. Jesus Christ is full of mercy and knows how to succeed or help His people according to their duties.
All literal universal revival
While some Christians interpret the resurrection in a variety of ways, Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus Christ literally rose from the tomb, and his spirit was reunited with his physical and glorious body. Resurrection is experienced by all people born into the world.
“The resurrection of Jesus Christ broke the belt of death for all,” Elder Renland said. “Resurrection is literal. Resurrection is universal. That’s one of the reasons why we celebrate Easter. The clear testimony of the literal resurrection of the Savior and the reality of its universal application is important in your education.”
Christ’s tone sin and repentance
The Savior established his church on the latter day and called out missionaries to preach repentance, as “the value of the soul is wonderful in the eyes of God” (see Doctrine and Covenant 18:10).
Because each soul is appreciated, the Savior offers the gift of His infinite tone sin, allowing all to repent.
“Jesus Christ allows each of us to repent,” Elder Renland said, referring to President Russell M. Nelson’s speech on repentance in April 2019.
The Savior wants each and every one of them to repent.
“For Jesus Christ, we can repent, learn from our sin, not be condemned by them, and avoid the suffering that we would otherwise assure us,” Elder Renland said. “We need to know how to repent, we need to know how to teach others how to repent.”
Mercy and Successor of the Savior
The third reason for celebrating Easter comes as a result of the tone sin of the Savior.
As taught in Preaching My Gospel, Jesus Christ has completed his tone sin, so he has the power to make everything right. He can recover, correct, heal, repair and compensate injustice. He can consecrate suffering for personal benefit, relieve the deepest pain, sweeten bitter experiences, and lovingly correct the broken heart.
“Why are you celebrating Easter?” Elder Renland said. “He perfected the sacrifice of ton sin, so he filled his soul with compassion and allowed him to help and help us with any needs we have.”
Celebrating Easter every week
In her message, sister Renlund said that church members can celebrate Easter every week by remembering the sacrifice and resurrection of Savior Aton, and remembering the resurrection with the true intention to honor the covenant made with him.
“Yes, Easter is important to Latter-day saints. We celebrate Easter every week at the Sacramental Conference.
“He asked us to remember him by participating in the sacrament with the full intention of maintaining this sacred covenant. We can celebrate Easter every week.”
What the missionaries learned
After the prayer, several missionaries from Provo MTC spoke about their learning through the spirit from Elder Renland’s message.
Sister Rosalinda Crew, from Toulouse, France, who was assigned to the Polish Warsaw Mission, said, “What I loved and really touched is that I can celebrate Easter every Sunday, teach about Jesus Christ and remember what he did for us.”
Elder Noah Tsubaki, from Herriman, Utah, was assigned to the Calgary Canadian mission and was inspired by the idea that he could choose to accept the gift of the Savior and repent or suffer.
“God reaches out and waits for him, and I am very excited to share it with people in Calgary and around the world.
Elder Brad Vance, from Lehigh, Utah, was assigned to the Copenhagen Mission in Denmark, saying, “We have the opportunity to celebrate Easter every week at home as sacred sects, and as missionaries, I have the opportunity to celebrate it every day.
