Notable quotes:
“I imagine that the Lord may have allowed Mary Magdalene to grieve and to express her pain.”
“I now know that ‘[my] brother shall rise again’ at that magnificent moment when, because of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection, we will all be resurrected.”
“I testify that through the redeeming Atonement and glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ, broken hearts can be healed, anguish can become peace and distress can become hope.”
Summary points:
- At some point in our lives, all will have felt heartbroken after losing someone they dearly love.
- The Resurrection of the Savior brought Mary Magdalene comfort in her pain, just as it can for others.
- “The grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ” (Mosiah 16:8).
Talk summary:
A few days after the tragic death of her friend and Master, Mary Magdalene wept at His empty tomb. The resurrected Savior came to her and asked why she was weeping. Thinking He was the gardener, she asked if he had taken the Lord’s body and where it was. He then called her by name, and she recognized Him.
Many can relate to the anguish felt by Mary Magdalene and her friends as they grieved the Lord’s death. Because of the Savior, all will be resurrected. He has also made it possible for all to be reunited as families and have eternal joy in God’s presence if they make and keep covenants with Him.
As President Russell M. Nelson has taught: “Death is a necessary component of our eternal existence. … For sorrowing loved ones left behind … the sting of death is soothed by a steadfast faith in Christ, a perfect brightness of hope, a love of God and of all men, and a deep desire to serve them.”
Through the redeeming Atonement and glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ, “broken hearts can be healed, anguish can become peace, and distress can become hope. He can embrace us in His arms of mercy, comforting, empowering and healing each of us.”
In the news:
- Sister Aburto joined Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other Church leaders in speaking to Native Americans in the Chinle, Arizona, region in a Feb. 26 devotional.
- Weeks before the new Church magazines were released in January 2021, Sister Aburto said she believes the monthly messages in the Liahona are “one of the surest ways to attain the peace and happiness that come through following God’s plan for us.”
- After visiting virtually with members in the Philippines Area on Nov. 18, 2020, Sister Aburto described her joy of getting to spend time with the Filipino Saints.
About the speaker:
- Sister Reyna Isabel Aburto was called to serve as second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency during the April 2017 general conference.
- Sister Aburto was born and raised in Nicaragua. When she was in her 20s, she emigrated to the United States, where she met missionaries and joined the Church.
- The life of Sister Aburto was the subject of a series of videos published by the Church in 2018.
Recently on social:
- Sister Aburto invited her social media followers on March 29 to take time to pause and reflect on where they have been, where they are and where they can be. She also invited them to think about someone they could invite to listen to general conference.
- On March 17, Sister Aburto posted about Emma Smith and how she courageously protected the gold plates. “It was a beautiful reminder to me that each of us has an active role to play in the work of the Lord,” she wrote.
- To those going through family trials, struggling with depression or feeling alone, Sister Aburto said remembering the Savior and His peace and healing can give assurance of His love. “Focusing on helping others instead of our own sadness has given us the comfort and the strength to find peace and joy, even amidst tribulation,” she wrote on Dec. 23, 2020.
