The Perfect Easter Holiday!

Since my mission, Easter has become my favorite holiday. I have had so much joy and peace by focusing on the life of Jesus Christ. This easter is very special because it is the anniversary week of the Atonement. Next year it wont be during the same week. The movie Son of God came out this year in perfect timing to prepare us for this Easter holiday. I have posted (on facebook) videos from each event on the matching day of our week from that movie. It has been rewarding and wonderful to treasure such a film. I have been enjoying the weather in our yard with blooming tulips and blossoms, as well as soaking up the warm air and the birds and sunshine. This is my favorite time of year, and this has been by favorite Easter that I can remember. I hope that we can all set aside the Easter bunny and focus our attention on what really matters. 

May we have a spiritual holiday to worship and love our Savior. 

Below include the dates and times of the events which took place about 2,000 years ago:

Date/Time	Event (all in Jerusalem, Israel)
Sunday, April 10, 30 AD	2 mile journey to Jerusalem from Bethany, where Jesus stays each night
Monday, April 11, 30 AD	Jesus protests financial transactions within the temple; argues with chief priests
Tuesday, April 12, 30 AD	Jesus predicts/announces the date of his execution; debates with religious leaders; responds to question about greatest commandment
Tuesday, April 12, 30 AD	Judas contracts to betray Jesus
Wednesday, April 13, 30 AD	Jesus warns against religious leaders, calling them hypocrites and snakes; From Mount of Olives, Jesus mourns Jerusalem's rejection and pending destruction
6pm-11:30pm Thursday, April 14, 30 AD	Last supper with disciples - Passover meal
11:30pm Thursday, April 14, 30 AD - 1:00am Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Garden of Gethsemane - Jesus waits for his arrest
1:00am-1:30am Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Confrontation in Garden and Jesus' Arrest
1:30am-3:00am Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Trial 1: Annas, former Jewish High Priest for 16 years - Jesus receives initial physical abuse
"	Trial 2: Current Jewish High Priest, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin Court - Jesus bloodied by abuse
3:00am-5:00am Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Imprisonment at Caiaphas' palace
5:00am-6:00am Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Trial 3: All the Jewish elders, including the High Priest, scribes and whole Sanhedrin. They decide to ask the Roman government to kill Jesus
6:00am-7:00am Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Trial 4: Hearing before Roman governor Pilate, who declares, "I find no guilt in this man."
7:00-7:30am Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Trial 5: Hearing before Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, who had jurisdiction over Galilee. Jesus refused to answer any questions so Herod returned him quickly to Pilate
7:30am-8:30am Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Trial 6: Pilate repeatedly tried to release Jesus but the Jewish leaders continued to object. Pilate physically tortured and beat Jesus beyond recognition seeking to satisfy the Jewish leaders. However the Jews demanded that Jesus be crucified. Pilate resisted but eventually gave the order to execute Jesus
8:30am-9:00am Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Pilate's Roman soldiers take Jesus into the court ("Praetorium") and enjoy mockery and continued torture, including driving thorns into his skull
9:00am-12:00noon Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Jesus forced to carry his own cross, then actual crucifixion
12:00 noon - 3:00pm Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Momentous final 3 hours on the cross
3:00pm Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Death
Friday, April 15, 30 AD	Burial
Sunday, April 17, 30 AD	"Resurrection" - 1st reported appearance of Jesus as alive after execution

Emotional Purge After A Nightmare Of Endurance

It has been a while since I wrote a blog. Since the end of the school year is here and things are headed in a new direction, I wanted to share all my emotions and describe what I am feeling. I honestly feel like I have been through music torture. I have big dreams and I am tired of them being cut down. I have been pretending to be something that I am not. I have even tried making a big effort to go along with things thinking I would one day be what others want me to be. The first lesson I learned is that you really can't be anything real, unless you are being yourself. A way to describe myself would be to say that I don't like to be stuck, controlled, or dictated when it comes to my own creativity. Nobody should dictate your ideas or tell you that what you're doing is wrong. I personally believe that all you need is passion, talent, hard work, and a guide who inspires to have success. For many years I have dreamed a dream that is still yet to be fulfilled. I feel that my dreams have been choked and crushed. In results my defensive side has gotten stronger and I have felt more persistence and determination to not allow others to govern my ways. I have been in this fight for a few years. I know who I want to be, and I know what I want to do. I don't want to be trapped or instructed on how to live my dreams. I can't live another minute and be told to feel that what I love is wrong. I came across a quote that said "When writing the story of your life, don't let others hold the pencil." I think that's what I will continue to fight against. I will never back down and let others force their way into my life. I am glad to be out and glad to be headed in a new direction where I can breathe and have my space to collect myself while beginning fresh and determined to live my dreams again. I can't describe how frustrating it is to be trapped into something that you want nothing to do with, but you keep trying to get to what you love, but you can never reach it because of others getting in the way. I have pushed aside the misery and tried to do things my way in my own time. Doing so, I have found greater happiness. I would like to give some great advice to people who feel like they are being controlled and trapped like I was. Never lose your fight. Always fight. Keep fighting until what you love is yours. Even when it is hard, don't let professors or anyone older than you dictate your heart. It is your life. Live it. Enjoy it. Love it.

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