Lessons Learned from a Simple, but Inspiring Pageant

*I meant to post this day after I saw it, which was last Friday, but I forgot to so better late than never!

One of my favorite things about living in Mesa is that every year at the LDS temple is the wonderful Easter Pageant  It's a short pageant that depicts the life of Jesus Christ. I think I've been to the it almost every year since my family moved to Arizona.

Image from here

Its always been a great reminder to me that Jesus wasn't just a great teacher or philosopher that lived thousands of years ago, but that He is the son of God and He came to this earth for a purpose. He came to teach us, but he also came to make right all of our sins and mistakes, and also take upon him the pains, afflictions, and sickness of all humankind. (Alma 7: 11-13) This short but powerful pageant conveys this message so beautifully.

I've even had that opportunity to be in it a few years back, and it was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life.

This year there was one part that really stood out to me more than usual. There is a scene about halfway through where Jesus is playing with the little children, and one of them comes to him on crutches and he can hardly walk. When Jesus see this young boy limping to him, and stops and stands wear he is and extends his arms out to boy, acknowledging the boy to come to him. As Jesus waits standing there with his arms open, the boy continues to limp and struggle as he walks towards the Savior. After a few moments of the boys struggling he suddenly drops his crutch and sprints right into the Savior's embrace. It's an amazing and incredible scene that brought a few tears to my eyes last night as I watched.

After watching this beautiful scene I began to realized a few things. Like that boy, we all struggle with something, weather it be physical pain or emotional pain, and sometimes it may feel like we can't go on, or that we need to give up. What I like most about this portrayal was that Christ allowed this boy to try and walk for himself. He stood and waited for the boy to come to him and exercise his faith. He didn't instantly take away the boy's suffering, but he allowed the boy an opportunity to exercise his faith and walk to him, even if meant a small amount of pain and discomfort. This allowed the young boy the opportunity to realize why he truly does need the Savior in his life.

Image from here

It made me think that whenever I am struggling with something, the Lord won't just take away my pain instantly without me first demonstrating my faith. I need to get up and try walking. I need to push forward, instead of sitting around and waiting. Like the young boy I to have been given crutches in my life to help me when times are hard, but also like the young boy, the Savior can make it possible to be free of any crutches, and create an avenue for me to overcome any and all obstacles I may face.

The Atonement of my Lord, and Savior is such an amazing and incredible thing. This experience showed me once again how powerful and reaching His love is. If the Savior can do something as miraculous as making a young boy walk again, surely He can help me overcome ALL the hurdles and discomfort that is placed in my own life! But like the boy, I need to get up and walk, and show my Lord that I care. Show Him that I want Him in my life, and that I know that He will help me walk during the hardest moments of my life.

I'm so grateful for the Easter Pageant, and that the Holy Ghost was able to help me recognize this small and simple truth about the everlasting and all reaching Atonement of Jesus Christ.