An Easter Allegory of Sorts

Aaron was asked to give a talk at church on Easter Sunday. When I read his talk on Saturday night I decided it needed a "hook" since I have the attention span of a small child and appreciate such things. Being the humble sort that he is, he graciously handed the computer over to me. His delivery of what I wrote was so good that some people have expressed interest in reading it again. So0000 here it is.

Once upon a time, in a palace in Bowling Green, lived three handsome young princes and a beautiful little golden haired princess. One day their wonderful parents decided that they would take their children on a splendid trip to the moving picture show of Horton Hears a Who. The little princes and princess were oh so excited. However there was one condition. The King and Queen decreed that there would be no grand adventure to the large and exciting Woodland Mall for anyone who had not been able to flush out the pigs which had somehow found their way into the palace and made a sty out of the formerly beautiful bedrooms of the princes and princess.

The princes and princess agreed to this condition happily. They had 3 days to get the pigs out and restore the rooms. On the first day, one of the little princes cleaned his bedroom from dawn until dusk while his brothers and sister played. On the second day the princess cleaned her bedroom from dawn until dusk while her brothers played. On the third day the second prince cleaned up his bedroom from dawn until dusk. Then came the day of the trip to the Woodland Mall. The little princes and princess woke up bright and early, ate their royal oatmeal, and ran around and around the palace. Soon the King and the Queen emerged from their chambers and announced that the time of departure had come, all that was left was to inspect the bedrooms of the princes and princess.

Three bedrooms looked shiny and beautiful. But oh dear, the third princes bedroom did not. The pigs were still in there as happy as can be in their comfy new sty.

The King and Queen were very saddened. Quietly they told the young prince that he would have to remain behind as the rest of the family went on their exciting outing. Oh how the young prince wailed and sobbed. He begged and pleaded and although the King and Queen very much wanted to let him accompany them, justice and good parenting required that they stick to their guns. Everyone was very sad. The other two princes and the young princess began to cry too. They did not want to leave their brother alone with the pigs. They wanted him to come with them. They too begged the King and Queen but the sad fact remained, one bedroom was still a sty and alas anyone who was still sleeping in a sty could not come on the trip and it was almost time to leave! Then the princess had a wonderful idea. She discussed it with her brothers who agreed that it was indeed a wonderful plan. They presented their plan to the King and Queen. "Mommy and Daddy", they pleaded, "how about if we go and help to clean up the pigsty quickly. If we all work together, we will have enough man and woman power or at least boy and girl power to get it done before it is time to go. Then no pig-stys would remain in the palace and everyone could go!” The King and Queen discussed this plan. Being merciful as well as just, it appealed to them.

While it was true that no-one who was living in a sty could go to the movies, if somehow the sty was to be cleaned up before it was time to go, everyone would be able to go. The brothers and sisters worked very hard together. In 5 minutes flat with the help of what they had learned from Clean Sweep and the Crocodile Hunter, the sty was miraculously clean and beautiful and pig free. The happy family departed, the young prince felt very very grateful to his kind brothers and sister and decided that he would do all he could do in the future to show his love and gratitude to them. And they all lived happily and eternally ever after.

While not everyone will always have a kind older sibling to clean up their bedroom, we all have a most wonderful older brother who has done so much more for us. Easter is the time to remember the things He has done for us and why they make it possible for us to live eternally with our families and our Heavenly Father one day.

Before we came to Earth Heavenly Father and Jesus knew that all of us would sin because we are not perfect. But the problem was that nobody who was not clean from sin could live with Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father very much wanted us to all come back to live with him but he knew that we could not because we would sin. However because He loved us so much he made a Plan. The Plan required that His only begotten son Jesus, his most special child would have to feel and suffer all of our sins and sadness and hurts and then die for us. This would be a terrible thing for Heavenly Father to watch, but because He and Jesus loved us so much, they were willing to do it. Because Jesus was perfect, He was able to suffer for our sins and pay for them so that we could be clean and pure and able to be in the presence of Heavenly Father as families one day.This special gift is what we call the Atonement. When we heard this plan we were so grateful to our older brother. Easter is a special time when we think about and celebrate what He agreed to do for us because of His love for us. And hopefully it will make us want to do more to show Him how much we love Him.

In my non-narrative voice now: I get overwhelmed trying to express myself regarding this topic because it is one that is so profoundly meaningful and sacred to me, and nothing I say can ever do it justice. I cannot imagine what my life would be without the gift of the Atonement or if I would even be here at all. I feel so much love and gratitude for the indescribably great and undeniable love and light and comfort I have experienced because of this gift. He knows me better then I know myself, cares for me exquisitely and has never failed me. I love him so much and I owe Him everything.

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