The Morning Breaks, The Shadow's Flee...

I got up for work this morning and got out to work just in time to see the sun come up. It was a very beautiful spring morning and I couldn't help but think of the hymn, "The Morning Breaks" as I saw the sunlight take over the world.

I love Spring! Spring is by far my favorite time of the year. The cold winter ends, and everything comes to life! I love the green, and the warm, but not hot weather.

I also love this time of year because we reflect on many special occasions. We celebrate the final week of Christ's ministry here on earth, the many miracles he did and the lesson's he taught us. More importantly, we celebrate what he did for us in the Garden of Gethsemene and upon the cross on Calvery. I truely stand all amazed at everything he did for us. For humbling himself before God and submitting to His will and drinking the bitter cup. We are forever in his debt. I am very greatful that I know and understand the reason he did these things and the reason we celebrate Easter. I am greatful for the knowledge and understanding of the Plan of Salvation and to know that Christ really did break the bands of death. I am happy to know that this life is not the end and that far greater things come after this life. I am also very greatful that I know I will keep this body after death.

We also can reflect on Christ's birth this time of year, although we mostly do this in December. Everyone knows December 25th was not Christ's birthday at all, but that the 25th was adopted from pagan worshipers. Thanks to Joseph Smith, we know that Christ was born on April 6th. When one thinks about it, it's kind of neat that here in the America's, on April 6th, a day and a night and a day passed as if it were one day. 30 some years later, there were 30 days of darkness here followed by one of the most sacred moments in history, the Savior's visit to the Americas.

Also, it was springtime when Joseph Smith went into a grove of trees as a little boy to pray, and there recieved his first vision where he talked with God and Jesus Christ. It was springtime when he found out that none of the churches were true and that he would be the one to restore the true church. It was also April 6th, that the church was again restored and organized, never to be taken off of the face of Earth again.

Again, I am so greatful and truely blessed to have a knowlege and more importantly, an understanding of all these things that happened in springtime. Springtime, like Christ, represents new life, a new begining. It is a chance for the world to shed off it's cold, bitter, wintery self, and become new again, full of life, warmth and happines! I like to compare it with us and Christ. If we take upon his name, and follow his commandments, we shed our old misserable selfs, and become new people, fresh, clean, full of life, and happy. This is represented through baptism, as we go into the water our old selfs, and come out a new person.