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jeromy finalized his plans to move today - he got his application approved and things are ready to go. i know he’s happy and relieved. from what i hear, he’ll move in two weeks. i saw his apartment and it’s nice and spacious - i’m sure he’ll love it. it’s been a frustrating week for him - filled with many setbacks and upsets during his quest for a residence.

in our spare time, jeromy and i have been going around taking pictures of things and places. he has taken a lot of interest in photography, which is great. it’s great to share a hobby with a significant other. we learn from each other, so it’s really nice. i’ve never had so many common interests with my sig other before - it’s kinda handy.

i’m getting some stuff for my computer tomorrow - another 1 gb of ram (which will put me at 2 gb) and a widescreen monitor are among the main items. it’ll come in handy when i’m editing a bunch of pictures, i’m sure.

sunday was good. i hadn’t been to church in a while for one reason or another. there was something that hit me especially hard, though. someone gave a summary and expressed their thoughts on a talk entitled, “sunday will come.” it’s a timely subject, as easter is coming near. i have never lost anyone close to me, but it’s inevitable that we all will experience that heartache (if we haven’t already). i went back to the original talk, given by joseph b. wirthlin and the following section got to me:

“The Resurrection is at the core of our beliefs as Christians. Without it, our faith is meaningless. The Apostle Paul said, “If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and [our] faith is also vain.”

In all the history of the world there have been many great and wise souls, many of whom claimed special knowledge of God. But when the Savior rose from the tomb, He did something no one had ever done. He did something no one else could do. He broke the bonds of death, not only for Himself but for all who have ever lived—the just and the unjust.

When Christ rose from the grave, becoming the firstfruits of the Resurrection, He made that gift available to all. And with that sublime act, He softened the devastating, consuming sorrow that gnaws at the souls of those who have lost precious loved ones.

I think of how dark that Friday was when Christ was lifted up on the cross.

On that terrible Friday the earth shook and grew dark. Frightful storms lashed at the earth.

Those evil men who sought His life rejoiced. Now that Jesus was no more, surely those who followed Him would disperse. On that day they stood triumphant.

On that day the veil of the temple was rent in twain.

Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus, were both overcome with grief and despair. The superb man they had loved and honored hung lifeless upon the cross.

On that Friday the Apostles were devastated. Jesus, their Savior—the man who had walked on water and raised the dead—was Himself at the mercy of wicked men. They watched helplessly as He was overcome by His enemies.

On that Friday the Savior of mankind was humiliated and bruised, abused and reviled.

It was a Friday filled with devastating, consuming sorrow that gnawed at the souls of those who loved and honored the Son of God.

I think that of all the days since the beginning of this world’s history, that Friday was the darkest.

But the doom of that day did not endure.

The despair did not linger because on Sunday, the resurrected Lord burst the bonds of death. He ascended from the grave and appeared gloriously triumphant as the Savior of all mankind.

And in an instant the eyes that had been filled with ever-flowing tears dried. The lips that had whispered prayers of distress and grief now filled the air with wondrous praise, for Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God, stood before them as the firstfruits of the Resurrection, the proof that death is merely the beginning of a new and wondrous existence.

Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come.”

“sunday will come.” the words above summarize the awesomeness of what was done for each of us. when i was in the pew, i thought long and hard about the suffering that christ went through. and for some reason, i couldn’t help but to have the mental image of christ stepping forward for me - and signing his name to all the horrible sins the things i’ve done. he is my advocate before the father. and if it were only for me and me alone - i know that he would still hang on that cross to get me back home. it’s a humbling thought. not only that, it has the power to change and transform lives.

i’ve been trying to get back into reading my scriptures more often. over the last week or two, i have been chipping away at the new testament here and there. tonight, i’m going to also start reading “jesus the christ” by james e. talmage. i’ve read part of it but it was years ago, so i would like to start over. needless to say, reading requires time, so i need to reshift some of my activities. i want to know my savior better. and i can’t do that unless i put forth more effort on my end. he’s been reaching out all along - i just needed a wake up call from across the podium as a message on eternal life hit home to me.

…

Luke 24:36-39:

(36)And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (37) But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. (38) And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? (39) Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.