Just as retail stores were beginning to stock aisles with plush stuffed animals, plastic eggs and chocolate bunnies, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shared a special message.
“This Easter season, we invite you to ponder the Savior’s atoning sacrifice and glorious Resurrection, which bless all of us,” Church President Russell M. Nelson and his counselors, President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring, shared on ChurchofJesusChrist.org on Feb. 20.
“We testify that Jesus Christ lives,” the First Presidency wrote. “‘He is risen’ (Matthew 28:6). Because of Him, we can be guided and strengthened as we bear the burdens we face in mortality. Through our faith in the Savior’s atoning sacrifice, the bonds of sin cannot hold us and the trials that we experience in life will have no lasting power over us. ‘The sting of death is swallowed up in Christ’ (Mosiah 16:8).”
In preparation for Easter Sunday, March 31, institutions throughout the Church Educational System have been echoing the invitation of prophets, seers and revelators to reflect upon “the Savior’s atoning sacrifice and glorious Resurrection.”
Here’s a look at how Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University–Idaho, Brigham Young University–Hawaii, Ensign College, BYU–Pathway Worldwide, and Seminaries and Institutes of Religion — through concerts, devotionals, testimonies, social media posts, videos and more — have been inviting others to “come unto Christ” this Easter season.
Brigham Young University
In his introduction to the campus devotional on Tuesday, March 19, BYU President C. Shane Reese noted that the First Presidency has invited the world, not just the BYU campus, to take time to remember Jesus Christ.
After sharing a Church-produced Easter video, President Reese testified: “Jesus is the Christ. His atoning sacrifice is infinite in its reach and its impact. His Resurrection is glorious. I invite you to feel so during this Easter season.”
Besides President Reese’s Easter testimony, BYU celebrated the holiday in a variety of ways.
In what one commenter called “an amazing pre-Easter gift,” the BYU Men’s Chorus released new music — a hymn titled “Were You There?” — about the life, sacrifice and grace of Jesus Christ.
The video was shared across BYU channels, including the alumni newsletter, social media and the BYU homepage and was played right before the campus forum on March 26.
The school’s Office of Belonging also hosted an event on March 18 where students were asked to ponder the statement “Because of Him I can …” Students then shared responses by posting on social media or writing on a card at the event. The cards are on display in the Office of Belonging in the Wilkinson Student Center.
On the Office of Belonging’s Instagram are also videos of several students sharing their testimonies of the Savior. One young woman, for example, shared, “Because of Him, I can find peace in mental health challenges.” In another, a young man said, “Because of Him, I can have peace all day every day.”
Beginning on Friday, March 29, and going through the Easter weekend, the university will continue Easter-themed social media posts, including President Reese and BYU athletics sharing videos of student-athletes offering their testimonies of the Savior. President Reese will also be sharing his testimony on his social media accounts on Sunday.
Religious Education and the Religious Studies Center also sponsor the annual BYU Easter Conference. This year, the conference is Friday, March 29, at 7 p.m. in the Joseph Smith Building Auditorium with keynote speaker Andrew Skinner, emeritus professor of ancient scripture.
And finally, BYU Speeches released a special-edition short video titled “He Is Risen.” The video is a short compilation of messages of Christ’s power in individuals’ lives.
BYU–Idaho
In an email to BYU–Idaho students and employees, BYU–Idaho President Alvin F. Meredith III shared the invitation of Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles last April to “model the teaching and celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Easter story, with the same balance, fullness and rich religious tradition of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Christmas story.”
One way to do that is by celebrating Holy Week, the whole week leading up to Easter Sunday, wrote President Meredith, who then shared some ideas to celebrate the season:
· “Ponder your own experiences with our Savior and His Atonement.
· “Enjoy the series of paintings on display at the BYU–Idaho Center that highlight events from the life of Christ.
· “Share your testimony with those you love individually and on social media.
· “Visit the Church’s Easter Day-by-Day site to learn about each day of Holy Week.”
As part of Holy Week, the university organized a variety of student activities across campus leading up to Easter, including stadium singing Easter music, a Christ-themed Art Walk, a “Hope Tree” activity and an activity on how to draw closer to Christ thought temple and family history.
On Tuesday, March 26, the university also handed out Easter-themed cupcakes with a topper that read “He is risen” to students in the I-Center courts following the weekly devotional.
On Thursday, March 28, the Department of Religious Education and BYU–Idaho Food Services coordinated an authentic Passover meal for 500 students. Tickets were $2 and sold out in just one day, reported Brett Crandall, BYU–Idaho public affairs director.
In addition, BYU–Idaho’s social media team produced videos to share on the university’s Instagram and Facebook accounts to commemorate each day of Holy Week with testimonies of BYU–Idaho students.
For example, the third day of the Church’s Easter Day-by-Day site at churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/easter/easter-week includes the prompt “Because of Him, I feel peace.” In a video posted on BYU–Idaho’s Facebook and Instagram, students shared some of the things that bring them peace, such as music, family, God’s creations and the scriptures.
BYU–Hawaii
During the campus devotional on Tuesday, March 19, BYU–Hawaii President John S.K. Kauwe III called the Easter season “a beautiful opportunity to renew our love and appreciation for our Savior Jesus Christ.”
Jesus Christ, he testified, is the ultimate example of selfless love. “He suffered and died that we might overcome sin and death. He rose on the third day breaking the chains of death for each of us. He loves us. He is our Friend and Advocate with the Father.”
President Kauwe then expressed his hope that students would “ponder these truths as we enter into this Easter season, and recommit to follow the example of our Savior by practicing charity and working to feed His sheep through our words and deeds.”
On Sunday, March 24, one week prior to Easter, the BYU–Hawaii campus also hosted a regionwide devotional celebrating Christ through music and testimony. Held in the Cannon Activities Center on the Laie, Hawaii, campus, the BYU–Hawaii Chamber Choir and other choirs from local congregations, including a special missionary choir, performed together.
On its social media channels, BYU–Hawaii highlighted student testimonies in correlation to the Church’s #BecauseOfHim initiative. One student, for example, with the prompt, “Because of Him, I feel peace,” shared how she feels peace knowing that Christ knows her perfectly: her thoughts, worries and joys.
On Easter, President Kauwe will post on social media his testimony of the Savior. In addition, the university’s social media accounts are also scheduled to post a carousel of images of student artwork depicting Jesus Christ.
Ensign College
Like other presidents within CES, Ensign College President Bruce C. Kusch led the way by sharing his personal testimony of the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In a video posted on the college’s YouTube channel and its social media accounts, President Kusch shared an image of Mary Magdalene kneeling before the risen Lord at the Garden Tomb. “It’s just Him ministering to just her, and I testify that that is how He ministers to us today. Just Him to just you and me, one by one …,” President Kusch said. “I testify that He lives. I know He will come again in majesty and in great glory. I pray we will be able to kneel before the Savior with the same joy and inexplicable gratitude. I love Him.”
During the past week, signage and messaging throughout the Ensign College building in downtown Salt Lake City, including in stairwells and elevators and across screens and the lobby jumbotron, have included the Church’s “BecauseOfHim” posters.
In another video posted on the college’s YouTube channel, more than a dozen Ensign College students answer the question: “What does Jesus Christ mean to you?”
Their responses include that He is “my Savior,” “my rock and my salvation,” “my Brother and my Redeemer,” “my everything and my why,” “my best friend; I love Him.”
The college will also post on Easter Sunday a video compilation highlighting devotional speakers’ testimonies of Jesus Christ. President Kusch will send an email to all students and employees, inviting them to visit the Church’s Come Unto Christ Easter website and to invite someone to attend church on Easter Sunday.
BYU–Pathway Worldwide
With its student community spanning dozens of countries, BYU–Pathway Worldwide participated in preparation for Easter through its social media channels and a message from BYU–Pathway Worldwide President Brian K. Ashton.
On March 27, President Ashton delivered a message titled “Because of Him, You Can,” where he invited BYU–Pathway students to do three things this Easter. First, he invited students to ponder what they’ve been able to accomplish in life and education because of the Savior.
Second, “continue to seek opportunities to learn, grow and reach your educational goals.”
And third, find ways to come closer to Jesus Christ.
On BYU–Pathway’s Instagram and Facebook pages, students will continue to share testimonials with the hashtag #BecauseOfHim up until Easter Sunday. Ruth Oliverson, a student from the United States, shared: “The only person I asked for help is the Lord. The reason I got through all of this was because of Him.”
Another student, Amos Abioye, from Nigeria, said: “I’m also furthering my education. I’m seeing a lot of growth spiritually. And I know that the Lord is mindful of me.”
Each BYU–Pathway mentor was also provided with 17 different graphics to share with students over WhatsApp or texting. BYU–Pathway mentors, who are a student’s designated support agent, were asked to prayerfully consider which of the messages to share to uplift and bolster the students they support. “In this way, each student of BYU–Pathway was guaranteed to have a message delivered to them, tailored specifically to their needs,” Krista Tripodi, director of communication for BYU–Pathway Worldwide, reported.
Seminaries and institutes
In preparation for Holy Week, employees and teachers speaking English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish were encouraged to emphasize the significance of Easter by teaching in a way that would invite students to ponder the Savior’s atoning sacrifice and Resurrection. While doing so, teachers were invited to utilize “The Living Christ,” “Come, Follow Me” Easter content and new Church videos.
Individual seminaries and institutes also highlighted, shared, linked and responded to Church videos and other Easter content on their social media accounts. The Cedar City Utah Institute of Religion, for example, posted about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, asking students, “How can you welcome Jesus Christ into your life in a new way this week as we prepare to celebrate His Resurrection on Easter Sunday?”
The Central America Institute of Religion posted a quote from the 2024 First Presidency Easter message and the caption “Cultivate your relationship with Jesus Christ during Holy Week.”
