President Baird’s Message
休み、休日、休業日、祝日、国民の祭日、休暇、休暇期。Holidays. Whatever the source, the cause, the stimulus, I love
holidays. They represent fun, recreation, relaxation, food. Perhaps what I like
best about holidays is spending time with people I love; friends and family.
For a short time we are both friends and family to one another. Sister Baird
and I love being with you—our Japan Nagoya Mission family.
Of all the types of holidays my very favorite are
宗教の祭日。These are not just holidays, they are holy days. Thanksgiving is like
that. It is a holy day; a day for acknowledging the goodness of God and
returning thanks to Him for our many blessings. As a mission family we honor
this holy day by offering service throughout the day and then enjoying a good
meal and sharing feelings with our companions. Christmas is a special holy day.
This year we spent time with each zone celebrating our service as missionaries
and focusing our attentions on the life of Christ. We celebrated in word, song
and a multi-media presentation.
This month we celebrate another of those special
holy days. Though Easter may be the most sacred of holy days, we do not gather
as a mission to celebrate. Maybe Easter is too sacred for that. Maybe for
missionaries, the celebration of Easter should be a personal and spiritual
celebration. Perhaps this is a time to reflect on the life of He who is our
Savior, Redeemer, and King. Each Easter season I find myself seeking him out in
the scriptures. I especially focus on the last week of His mission.
During the month of April, I invite you to seek
him out in the same way. His thoughts, actions and teachings during the final
week of his mission can be found in Matthew chapters 21-28; Mark chapters
11-16; Luke 19-24; and John 12-21. Don’t gallop through these pages like a race
horse with only the end in mind. Go slow. Ponder. Reflect.
As you read about the last week of Christ’s
mission, please do as Nephi recommends—“liken” it to you and your situation. As
you go slow, reflect and ponder, and then “liken”, the Holy Ghost will give you
rich insights. I pray that you will rely on the Spirit to teach you as you
read. For that reason I will not offer commentary on the following days—just
milestone events.
Day 1 Sunday: The stage is set in Matt 20:
17-19,29. As Jesus and his disciples make their way toward Jerusalem to keep
the holy day, Christ tells his disciples of his impending imprisonment,
crucifixion, death and resurrection. As they depart Jericho a sizeable multitude
begins to follow. The multitude grows as they pass through Bethphage and
Bethany. By the time Jesus is riding into the city of Jerusalem all the
multitude praises him. They call him the Son of David, acknowledging him as
their king! The chief priests and scribes were unhappy—disturbed even. They
chided Jesus saying, “Master, rebuke thy disciples.” His reply was regal, “I
tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately
cry out.” Luke 19: 39,40.
Day 2 Monday: Jesus returns to Jerusalem having
spent the night in Bethany. Hungered he curses the baron fig tree. He cleanses
the temple, Heals in the temple and returns to Bethany for the night.
Day 3 Tuesday: Teaches his disciples who comment,
“how soon the fig tree is withered away”, that they shall do this and greater
things by the prayer of faith—even to the removing of mountains. We must ask.
He teaches of authority. Jesus teaches parables of two sons and the
householder. He successfully navigates traps from Pharisees and Sadducees in
their questioning. He accuses them of hypocrisy, teaches the signs of the
times, gives parables of ten virgins, talents, sheep and goats.
Day 4 Wednesday: Christ administers the
sacrament, teaches the role of the comforter and Holy Ghost, offers great
intercessory prayer. He retires to the Garden of Gethsemane and performs
the first part of the atonement. He is betrayed
by Judas and taken prisoner.
Day 5 Thursday: Christ is tried. He remains
silent. He endures all manner of
mocking and abuse. He performs additional
portions of the atonement—He is
crucified
and buried.
Day 6 Friday: Christ remains in tomb while chief
priests and Pharisees seek a
watch
to prevent his body from being taken.
Day 7 Saturday: Christ completes the Atonement. He
rises from the dead
bringing resurrection to all. He gives a sacred
charge to all who will follow him
Matthew 28:16-20. I wonder what our world would
be like if He had coasted the
last
week of His mission. May we pray and ask in faith
to perform the miracles
He
asks of us. May we commit to GO as did the first son in the
parable. May we
actually GO and PERFORM the assigned task as did
the second. As we seek our
errand
from the Lord and work hard to achieve it, we will be blessed, as
Elder
Holland promised, with urgency in the work and
the love our Heavenly Father
has
for those who labor in His vineyard. Let my love for you stand as evidence
that He loves you, I pray in Jesus’ name Amen.
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