Attested by evidence
Seen through eye of faith- Gain personal conviction
Young and old need not look upon the certainty of eventual death with "any degree of terror" for "death is swallowed up by the victory of Christ over it," declared Elder Carlos E. Asay.
At the Saturday morning session, Elder Asay of the Presidency of the Seventy told of visiting a care center where an elderly woman pleaded with him, "Can I die? Can I die?"
"Her tender look, soft voice, and delicate features melted my heart," Elder Asay said. He offered comfort and reassured the woman that she could and would die in the Lord's appointed time, and that she would live again free of the infirmities that now troubled her.
"Physical death is one of life's certainties," he explained. "It occurs regularly and is evidenced by printed obituary notices and the empty chairs at our tables. For just as the sun sets at the close of each day, in accord with the eternal rhythm of life, so we will experience a temporary separation of body and spirit. . . ."
Elder Asay said that those who believe the grave is the final destiny live without hope of a better world and are inclined to embrace a fatalistic approach. But, he continued, those who believe in a life after death are much more inclined to lead purposeful lives.
"Belief in a resurrection and related truths encourages one to obey the commandments, repent of sins, serve others, and do the other things that bring joy and happiness both here and hereafter," Elder Asay explained.
He said two classes of evidence exist regarding "the glorious fact of history" of Christ's resurrection.
In the first class, hundreds of followers saw the risen Lord on multiple occasions. "One wonders how anyone could doubt the actuality of the resurrection after reading the several accounts of His appearance to the women, the disciples, and apostles."
However, said Elder Asay, " Infallible proofs' of spiritual matters, such as Christ's resurrection, are not of the hand, but of the heart. They are not seen with the naked eye; they are seen through theeye of faith. . . .' The Holy Spirit deals with facts, not with fancied happenings."
"Our eyes of faith' will also be opened and we shall know of a surety that He lives and that we shall live again if we believe and accept the divine invitation:Walk with me." (See Moses 6:34.)
"And, in the process of following His footsteps we gain the personal conviction or infallible proof that He lives, that He is the Son of the living God, and that He is our Redeemer."
