The Joys of Easter

The Joys of Easter: One of the best things about living where I do is attending the Easter pageant at the LDS Temple in Mesa, Arizona. It is a powerful thing that takes so much dedication and love from all those involved. It is called Jesus the Christ and is one of the largest outdoor Easter pageants in the World. It runs from April 13th to April 23rd except for Sunday and Monday. It is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the pageant represents the King James Version of the Bible. The pageant is a one-hour presentation and it represents the Resurrection of the Savior instead of focusing mainly on the Crucifixion. The stage is 9,600 sq. ft. and is four stories high. There are 450 cast members that volunteer to be part in the pageant. Up to 12,000 visitors attend each night from all different cultures, religions, locations, ages, and nationalities. The performance starts at 8:00 each night and are available in English, Spanish, and ASL (American Sign Language). Admission is FREE! For more information, please visit http://www.easterpageant.org/.


Last weekend I was at the park across the street from the Mesa LDS Temple for a big activity with my internship. I was at a table that was set up as such that I was able to not only see the Temple the entire time but I was also able to watch the cast members practice for the Easter pageant. It was a wonderful experience. The pageant is truly amazing beyond words and I sometimes take for granted how lucky I am that I am 15 minutes away. There is no way to hold back the tears even after the many many times I have seen it. The first time I saw the Easter pageant was when I was 14 years old. I lived in New Mexico at the time and we did not have a Temple yet at that time. We traveled to Mesa Arizona for our Temple trip that year. We were lucky enough to be there at the time of the Easter Pageant. It was an amazing experience. I did not see it again until I was 20 years old and living here. At that time I had placed my son for adoption the year before. I looked at the presentation of the Resurrection of the Savior and felt warmth. The warmth of the Saviors love for me and for my difficult decision. There are only so many out there (the Savior is included) that truly have done something so incredibly painful because of our love for someone else. I encourage you to turn to the Savior for comfort and love because He will always be there. Remember what Easter is all about. Remember the Resurrection and remember that you have the chance to make your life what you want it to be!















This post was done by April Morgan