Elder Paul V. Johnson’s talk on the resurection really resonated with me. He spoke about losing his daughter after an eight year struggle with cancer. Having recently lost my father to cancer and having lost my mother over a decade ago to the same illness, I could feel his pain. I loved his daughters words of deep faith:

“Each of us has physical, mental, and emotional limitations and weaknesses. These challenges, some of which seem so intractable now, will eventually be resolved. None of these problems will plague us after we are resurrected. Alisa researched survival rates for persons with the type of cancer she had, and the numbers were not encouraging. She wrote: ‘But there is a cure, so I’m not scared. Jesus has already cured my cancer, and yours. … I will be better. I’m glad I know this.’”

Elder Johnson then emphasized that this principle applies to all possible trials that we face. “We can replace the word cancer with any of the other physical, mental, or emotional ailments we may face. Because of the Resurrection, they have already been cured too. The miracle of resurrection, the ultimate cure, is beyond the power of modern medicine. But it is not beyond the power of God. We know it can be done because the Savior is resurrected and will bring to pass the Resurrection of each of us too.”
Towards the end of his talk, Elder Johnson’s words echoed the deepest desires of my heart:

“I am grateful for the blessings that are ours because of the Atonement and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. For all who have laid a child in a grave or wept over the casket of a spouse or grieved over the death of a parent or someone they loved, the Resurrection is a source of great hope. What a powerful experience it will be to see them again–not just as spirits but with resurrected bodies.

  I long to see my mother again and feel her gentle touch and look into her loving eyes. I want to see my father’s smile and hear his laugh and see him as a resurrected, perfect being. With an eye of faith, I picture Alisa completely beyond the reach of any earthly troubles or any sting of death–a resurrected, perfected Alisa, victorious and with a fulness of joy.”

There is nothing that I want in my life more than to be worthy to one day see my parents again – both earthly and heavenly. I long to embrace my mother again. I long to hear my father laugh. This desire is what first led me to come to know Christ. My longing helped me to humble my heart and seek to know God. It is this drive that has helped me overcome challenges and trials.

The central pillar of Christianity is a message of love and hope. It is the certain knowledge that Christ has conquered spiritual and temporal death and can ultimately help us to do the same. I know with every fiber of my being that Christ lives. I know that he died for me and for each of us.