Easter Enlightenment

I was given the opportunity this week to prepare a combined lesson for my Young Women class on the subject of Easter. I have been pondering and praying for guidance! First off, I gave the combined lesson two weeks ago. I had a wonderful spiritual experience in preparing for that one - in January as I was looking through old Ensign magazines and getting rid of them, I decided to go through and tear out the pictures that I liked for my gospel picture kit. I love using pictures for stories, so I thought that would be a good idea. So, as I was thumbing through these magazines, I kept running across articles about how to study the scriptures. I found about 3 that really struck me as profound. I tore those out too - and by the time I was done, I knew I needed to give a lesson on scripture study!

They are:
Scripture Stories as Patterns for our Lives
Likening the Scriptures to our Personal Lives
Ten Scripture Study Tools

I used these to come up with my own lesson on scripture study. I made a handout of 13 scripture study tools to use. (since this year's theme is the 13th article of faith!)
I only got to tool number three before my time ran out... bummer... so - the presidency decided that I could continue my lesson - just using the Easter story to explain the other tools. I took on the challenge!

It was a challenge. I seriously have spent this ENTIRE week pouring over the Easter story in the four gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and St. John. I have studied, prayed and studied more. I have NEVER in my life knew how much I was missing from that story. It was an incredible week of preparation. I'm happy to say - that today (which is now Friday) I am completely done with my lesson. I wanted to share some study tools that helped me with this journey.

Perhaps if you have some spare time on Easter Sunday or before, you might enjoy this same experience. It was a HUGE testimony builder. And I am SO grateful I was given the opportunity to teach this wonderful lesson. I keep praying that my mind will be able to work with my mouth in portraying the things I've learned. It's been such a beautiful, personal experience, that I am not sure how to share it. I wish I could share EVERYTHING I learned, but I'm afraid it would take too much time!! So - here is how you can have this experience.

FIRST - I used an Institute outline of scriptures to learn about the last week of Christ's life, starting with Palm Sunday and his Triumphal Entry. ( look at the end of this post if you want the scripture outline of this)


Then I went back and decided I was going to have to focus on one event - a whole week of this magnitude just couldn't be condensed into a 40 minute lesson!!!! So I decided to focus mostly on the trial and crucifixion of Christ. I found a wonderful study guide for that on a different blog.

It is located on the REDHEADED HOSTESS blog. Download this, print the outline and write out the answers as you go through it. It is an amazing, amazing experience. It really opened my eyes!

Then, I had to go through and figure out what examples I could use for my study tools. This came pretty easily after studying so much - it was what I was already doing - but as I wrote down the examples I realized how deep these scriptures are and how often I miss SO MUCH! I made another handout for that -
And then, after you have studied and read - watch this video. (watch it on Youtube.com for a bigger picture - for some reason blogger cuts off the right side!)



I honestly have a much deeper testimony of the sacrifice that was made for me. I also have a stronger testimony of the magnitude of what really happened and why. What a wonderful, wonderful journey this has been this week. I hope your Easter is just as wonderful!

If you don't have a lot of time for study - at least use the red headed hostess outline - it is beautiful and you will NOT regret the time it takes, I promise!!!

Here are the scriptures outlining the whole week from the institute manual...

THE WEEK OF THE ATONING SACRIFICE	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
FIRST DAY Palm Sunday
Jerusalem and Bethany, Judea Nisan/April Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem	21:1–11	11:1–10	19:29–44	12:12–19
Certain Greeks Visit Christ—a Voice from Heaven				12:20–36
Return to Bethany		11:11
SECOND DAY Monday
Cursing of the Barren Fig Tree	21:18–19	11:12–14
Second Cleansing of the Temple	21:12–16	11:15–18	19:45–48
Return to Bethany	21:17	11:19	21:37
THIRD DAY Tuesday
Discourse on Faith	21:19–22	11:20–26	21:38
Question of Authority	21:23–27	11:27–33	20:1–8
Parable of the Two Sons Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen	21:28–32 21:33–46	12:1–12	20:9–18
Parable of the Royal Marriage Feast A Question About Tribute to Caesar Marriage After the Resurrection The Great Commandment	22:1–14 22:15–22 22:23–33 22:34–40	12:13–17 12:18–27 12:28–34	20:19–26 20:27–40
“Who Is Christ’s Father?” Scribes and Pharisees Are Condemned Jesus Laments over Jerusalem	22:41–46 23:1–36 23:37–39	12:35–37 12:38–40	20:41–44 20:45–47
The Widow’s Mite Christ Declares the Purpose of His Mission		12:41–44	21:1–4	12:37–50
Olivet Discourse	24:1–51	13:1–37	21:5–36
Parable of the Ten Virgins	25:1–13
Parable of the Entrusted Talents	25:14–30
The Inevitable and Final Judgment	25:31–46
Jesus’ Betrayal Foretold	26:1, 2
The Plot Against Jesus	26:3–5	14:1, 2	22:1, 2
Judas Arranges Betrayal	26:14–16	14:10, 11	22:3–6
FIFTH DAY Thursday
Arrangements for the Passover Meal	26:17–19	14:12–16	22:7–13
Strife over Precedence in the Passover Chamber Jesus Washes the Apostles’ Feet	26:20	14:17	22:14 ; 24:30	13:1–20
Passover Meal—Introduction of the Sacrament	26:26–29	14:22–25	22:15–20
Jesus Indicates the Betrayer Judas Leaves the Chamber Jesus Foretells His Own Death	26:21–25	14:18–21	22:21–23	13:21–26 13:27–30 13:31–35
Apostles Express Loyalty	26:31–35	14:27–31	22:31–38	13:36–38
Jerusalem, Judea Discourse About the Comforter				14:1–31
They Sing a Hymn—Proceed to the Mount of Olives	26:30	14:26	22:39
Their Relationship to Christ and the World; His Death Explained				15:1–27 ; 16:1–33
High Priestly Prayer				17:1–26
Agony in Gethsemane	26:36–46	14:32–42	22:40–46	18:1, 2
THE WEEK OF THE ATONING SACRIFICE	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
SIXTH DAY Friday
The Betrayal by Judas The Arrest	26:47–50 26:51–56	14:43–45 14:46–52	22:47, 48 22:49–53	18:2–9 18:10–12
Jesus Questioned by Annas Examined Before Caiaphas	26:57–68	14:53–65	22:54, 55, 63–65	18:13, 19–24 18:14–16, 18
Peter Denies Knowing Jesus	26:69–75	14:66–72	22:55–62	18:17, 25–27
Formal Trial and Condemnation	27:1, 2	15:1	22:66–71 ; 23:1
Judas Iscariot’s Death Before Pilate Before Herod	27:3–10 27:11–14	15:2–5	23:2–5 23:6–12	18:28–38
Again Before Pilate Barabbas Released Pilate Sentences Jesus The Way to Calvary	27:15–23 27:26–30 27:24, 25 27:31–34, 38	15:6–14 15:15–19 15:20–23 , 25, 27, 28	23:13–23 23:25 23:24 23:26–33	18:39, 40 19:1–3 19:4–16 19:16–18
Superscription on the Cross His First Utterance on the Cross Soldiers Divide His Clothing Mocking and Scoffing	27:37 27:35, 36 27:39–44	15:26 15:24 15:29–32	23:38 23:34 23:34 23:35–37	19:19–22 19:23, 24
Second Utterance from the Cross Third Utterance by the Savior Darkness Covers the Earth Fourth Statement	27:45 27:46, 47	15:33 15:34, 35	23:39–43 23:44, 45	19:25–27
Fifth Statement Sixth Utterance Final Utterance; Jesus Dies Centurion’s Testimony	27:48, 49 27:50 27:51–56	15:36 15:37 15:38–41	23:46 23:45, 47–49	19:28, 29 19:30 19:30
His Side Pierced His Burial	27:57–61	15:42–47	23:50–56	19:31–37 19:38–42
THE WEEK OF THE ATONING SACRIFICE	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
SEVENTH DAY Saturday
Guards Are Placed at the Tomb	27:62–66
THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK Sun.
The Tomb Is Opened Mary Magdalene and Other Women Visit the Tomb	28:2–4 28:1, 5–7	16:1–8	24:1–8	20:1
Mary Tells Peter and John			24:9–11	20:2
Peter, Mary, and John Visit the Tomb The Savior Appears to Mary Mary Tells the Apostles		16:9 16:10, 11	24:12	20:3–10 20:11–17 20:18
Christ Appears to the Other Women	28:9, 10
Chief Priests Told of Resurrection by Guards	28:11–15
Two Disciples See the Savior While En Route to Emmaus		16:12, 13	24:13–32
Appears unto Peter Appears to all Apostles Except Thomas		16:14	24:34 24:33–49	20:19–23