Talk by Paul Day, Rochester 2nd Ward – Easter, April 17, 2022
Eight years ago, on August 31, 2014, my cousin Kent Day bore his testimony at our annual Labor Day reunion of my grandfather Orville Cox Day, at Granite Flat in the American Fork Canyon, Utah, where his descendants would gather for Labor Day weekend, camping in the mountains, starting Friday afternoon and ending Monday morning. As of the 2021 reunion, Grandpa Day’s descendants totaled 1384 (virtually all active in the church), from 14 children and 90 grandchildren. So by subtracting the 12 in my father’s family, I have 78 first cousins on the Day side of my family.
The tradition we follow at the reunion, after other activities, is on Sunday morning at 11 am we gather on lawn chairs in a circle among a clearing in the trees. Cousin Aloa Rogers gives a report on the number of Day descendants, new births and marriages, and deaths during the past year. Then the time is turned over for testimonies. A microphone is provided, and my uncle Charlie and my brother Lynn place digital recorders near the microphone. Pictures are taken of the speakers. The pictures and recordings are sent to me. I transcribe the recordings and post the testimonies, along with the pictures of the speakers, on our OC Day home page, and I notify my Day relatives using the long list of email addresses that I maintain.
Kent was 11 years older than me. He was the oldest son of the 90 cousins. (I was 17th oldest of the 90). Kent was suffering from Parkinson’ disease. He died 3 years after his 2014 testimony, 4 years ago today, at the age of 83. We have been close in our lives, growing up in the same ward. He was known as the scriptorian in our family and well respected. This was his last testimony of our Savior. He said many things, and concluded with the following.
Kent Day’s testimony: in the 2014 Day family reunion at Granite Flat in American Fork canyon.
The Savior’s perfect example
After a long testimony about our Savior, Kent ended with:
I have a saying, “Which is more important, the atonement, or the Savior’s perfect example?” We say a lot about the Savior and the atonement, but we don’t say nearly as much about his perfect example to us. And it’s my testimony that our Savior did give us an example, and as we follow that example we too can become like him and enjoy the eternal life that he is enjoying. And I testify this in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Questions I thought about:
- What else did Jesus do besides die for us and pay for our sins?
- Was his atonement the greatest thing he did for us? Maybe not the greatest.
- How are our lives affected every day by Jesus, other than the gift of the atonement and the opportunity for our sins to be forgiven?
- What would life be like if Satan ruled the universe?
- How important is the resurrection (one of the greatest gifts of Jesus)?
- How important are the scriptures (one of the greatest gifts of Jesus)?
In addition to the atonement, why I appreciate Jesus:
- For the life he lived as our example (as cousin Kent said).
- My gratitude for his goodness and kindness.
- For our beautiful world that he created.
- For honoring his father, that together they provide for our happiness and ultimate triumph over evil.
- That he and his Father did the Plan of Happiness and do not shirk from that plan.
- That he is trustworthy and hears our prayers.
- For the light he gives us.
- For everything he does in overseeing the spirit world and the angels, and their role in watching over us, inspiring good music and so many other uplifting things around us.
- For the significant labor and pain during his life, not only on the cross and in Gethsemane, but also his sacrifice in coming to this earth and all that he did during his lifetime.
- For the miracles he performed during his lifetime, and miracles we continue to receive through him.
- For the inspiration he gave to his disciples who recorded the gospels and New Testament scriptures.
- For his role in inspiring the prophets in the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon prophets, and those scriptures to inspire and teach us. And also our modern scriptures.
- For his example of love, and the love I feel from him as my older brother, who has empathy and compassion for me.
- For establishing his church, which brings so many blessings to us today.
- For visiting Joseph Smith and providing for the restoration of the church, and continuing to guide the church through Pres. Nelson and the Apostles and other leaders.
- For the future of our world, the millennium and the guarantee of justice and rewards and kingdoms and reunions with our families.
- For his power, how great it is, and that he uses it for us in love.
- For his continuing to be there for us today.
- That the Father has committed the judgment of man to Jesus, who is our advocate.
- And for his resurrection, and that we will live again, and have everlasting life.
- For the gift of eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God (1 Ne 15:36; D&C 6:13; D&C 14:7)
- And for his peace, as in a song written and beautifully sang by my cousin Sheri Buhler Naylor:
Sweet peace, I give unto you
My love I give to all
In a world of toil and trouble
With your back up against the wall
I can hear you when you’re crying
Catch you when you fall, sweet peace
I give unto you, my love I give to all
= = = =
Conclusion
At this Easter season, our faith is sustained not by clever arguments, but by witnesses, ancient and modern, who testify to the resurrection of the Son of God. Not least among them are Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon:
A vision given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon, at Hiram, Ohio, February 16, 1832.
“…while translating St. John’s Gospel, myself and Elder Rigdon saw the following vision.” At the time this vision was given, the Prophet was translating John 5:28-29. (“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”)
And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God. (Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-24)