Times in Tamworth 4

With the advent of my arrival in Tamworth so close to a holiday, many of the members here have begun to associate my name with the upcoming celebration, and now affectionately refer to me as "Elder Easter". It's okay though, with their thick country accents I really can't tell much of a difference. With their ever constant reminders, however, these past few weeks I've really been pondering about Easter, the miracle of our Savior's Atonement both on the mission and in myself.

On my desk I have a picture of Christ that I look at everyday. It's my favorite one, a painting done by Kendra Burton that depicts Jesus smiling a big smile with tears just forming in his eyes. Every day when I sit down to study, I look at that picture and imagine Him wrapping his arms around me, or seeing me and smiling that warm smile. Sometimes, I look at Him and get a different feeling, as if He's dissapointed in me. His eyes seem to be a little bit red and His face reproves me, and I imagine Him saying "C'mon. You're better than that". Even other times His face just seems to understand me, and His tears are empathetic ones that tell me "It's okay. You made it through the day". Every time the picture is exactly the same, but my feelings of it change because I feel Him always near me, watching over me.

With practically all the Asian people I have ever taught, including most recently our investigator Vincent, I have found the best way to describe baptism is to use the phrase "A New Life". For some reason it just sticks with them, and they tend to like the idea of a fresh start, a new beginning. I find this refreshing and humbling- they seem to understand so clearly the simplicity and beauty of baptism. It's an opportunity for us to begin again, start over, and it's made possible only through the Atonement, but it is possible. How incredible is that?

There's a quote floating around from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland that basically states that he would plead with every missionary to teach and learn about Christ and His Atonement through the Book of Mormon. There are many great places to discover more about it, but one of the first places that comes to my mind to learn about Christ is, of course, 3rd Nephi. Only this morning I was reading in chapter 17, when Christ heals the sick and blesses the children. One of my favorite verses in that chapter is verse 7, illustrating the phrase "Bring them hither, and I will heal them".
 

My mission is teaching me all about healing through the Atonement- helping those torn and broken people piece back their lives and become whole again. Christ really is serious when He says, "I will heal them". I've been so blessed to see individuals who open their hearts and allow that change to take place.

But that healing hasn't been reserved alone for investigators and less-active members. It's very actively playing a part in myself. I have so many weaknesses, so many sins, and I am, just like everyone else, a little bit broken. But through the Atonement I'm beginning to understand what it means to change. To feel something in myself leave, and something better replace it. It is very much the healing that Christ is speaking of. It's very much the healing that I tell my investigators, but now I'm beginning to share it with others not just because I'm taught it, but because I believe it. Because I know what that change feels like. And that change is available to every single person, and should be used by all of us as well.

General Conference was aired this weekend, and it really has been an incredible highlight to my studies and thoughts about the Atonement and Christ. I have lots of thoughts about it, of course, but one scripture that was shared really popped out at me- it's in 3 Nephi 10:4-6, and goes something along the lines of "As a Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings" (I heard it quoted two or three times). Investigator Greg's chickens had babies this week, (which I thought was really fitting for Easter-time!) and he noted to me that the mother hen was protecting those babies with everything she had. No one was able to even get close to that mother chicken or her babies. When comparing our Savior to the mother Hen and us to the chicks, it's pretty humbling to think that He really will tuck us under and protect us, if only we let Him. 

The Atonement is real. I know it because I've felt it, and continue to feel it everyday. I'm so grateful for this Easter season, because it's an opportunity for us to take a moment and remember Christ's sacrifice, His great and everlasting Atonement. As Preach My Gospel tells us missionaries, everything we teach and everything about our gospel is centered on the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

This weekend, Vincent will have the special opportunity to be baptized a member of the Church, to gain full access of the Atonement and to rejoice in the cleansing and purifying effects of our Redeemer. I'm so humbled and excited for him, because I know that the New Life he's seeking really will be given to him.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter! Please enjoy it and take a minute or two amidst the chocolate eggs and marshmellow bunnies to remember what the Atonement means to you.. you won't regret it :) 

Love you all "peeps"!

Elder Easton

D&C 76:22

Oh and I couldn't forget an Aussieism. This one's for all you ginger haired friends out there- in Australia they call red-heads "ranga's", slang for "orangutan".. haha. I really like this one.