Who has had a BIG Week? 

What was it like? 

Did it go as planned? 

Getting Married

Birth of a child

Favorite Vacation

Cruise

Big meeting at work

Hosanna to the Most High God

By Elder Ronald A. Rasband 

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Palm Sunday: Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem and the events of the week that followed exemplify doctrine we can apply in our lives today.

Elder Rasband speaks about Ghana and the King of Ghana is there in the congregation:

Scriptures tell us that the week began with throngs standing at the gates of the city to see “Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.”2 

They “took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried: Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.”3

That biblical account of so long ago reminds me of being on a Church assignment in Takoradi, Ghana. Remarkably, I was there on Palm Sunday.

I was to divide the Takoradi Ghana Stake to create the Mpintsin Ghana Stake. Today, there are over 100,000 members of the Church in Ghana.4 

(We welcome the Ga Mantse, His Majesty King Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II of Accra, Ghana, who is with us today.) 

Meeting with these Saints, I felt their profound love and devotion to the Lord. I expressed my great love for them and that the President of the Church loved them. I referred to the Savior’s words recorded by John: “That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”5 They deemed it the “I love you conference.”6

Check out what Elder Rasband said in his Insta post following his talk in General Conference. 

Elder Rasband referres to his Majesty being there that day as a miracle, a term he does not use lightly. 

What Miracles have your witnessed in your life?

For me: The safe recovery of our dog, Willow. 

Palm Sunday was not just an event, another page in history with a date, time, and place. Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem and the events of the week that followed exemplify doctrine we can apply in our lives today.Let us look at some of the eternal doctrine that weaves through His ministry concluding in Jerusalem.

First, prophecy. 

For example, Old Testament prophet Zechariah prophesied of Jesus Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, even describing He would ride on a donkey.12 Jesus foretold His Resurrection as He prepared to enter the city, saying:“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,“And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.”13

Second, the companionship of the Holy Ghost. 

Joseph Smith taught, “No man can know that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”14 The Savior promised His disciples15 at the Last Supper16 in the upper room,17 “I will not leave you comfortless.”18 They would not be alone to carry the truths of the gospel forward but would have the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost to guide them. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you,” He promised; “not as the world giveth, give I unto you.”19 With the gift of the Holy Ghost, we have that same assurance—that we “may always have his Spirit to be with [us]”20 and “by the power of the Holy Ghost [we] may know the truth of all things.”21

Third, discipleship. 

True discipleship is unfailing commitment, obedience to eternal laws, and love of God, first and foremost. Nothing wavering. The multitude who paid tribute with palms hailed Him as the Messiah. That was exactly who He was. They were drawn to Him, His miracles, and His teachings. But the adulation for many did not last. Some who earlier had shouted, “Hosanna,”22 soon turned and cried, “Crucify him.”23

Fourth, the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

24 In His final days, following Palm Sunday, He carried out His remarkable Atonement, from the agony of Gethsemane to the mockery of His trial, His torture on the cross, and His burial in a borrowed tomb. But it did not stop there. With the majesty of His calling as the Redeemer of all of Heavenly Father’s children, three days later He stepped forth from that tomb, resurrected,25 as He had prophesied.

That last fateful week of His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ gave the parable of the ten virgins.

27 He was teaching of His return to those prepared to receive Him, not with palms in their hands but with the light of the gospel within them. He used the image of lamps lit and burning, with extra oil to fuel the flame, as a description of a willingness to live His ways, embrace His truths, and share His light.

How would we feel if He said to us, “I know you not!”

We, like the ten virgins, have lamps; but do we have oil? I fear there are some who are just getting by on a thin skiff of oil, too busy with worldly pressures to properly prepare. Oil comes from believing and acting on prophecy and the words of living prophets, President Nelson in particular, his counselors, and the Twelve Apostles. 

Oil fills our souls when we hear and feel the Holy Ghost and act on that divine guidance. Oil pours into our hearts when our choices show we love the Lord and we love what He loves. Oil comes from repenting and seeking the healing of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

What is on YOUR Bucket List?

If some of you are looking to fill what some call “a bucket list,” this is it: fill your bucket with oil in the form of the living water of Jesus Christ,34 which is a representation of His life and teachings. In contrast, checking off a far-off place or a spectacular event will never leave your soul feeling whole or satisfied; living the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ will. 

I mentioned examples earlier: embrace prophecy and prophetic teachings, act on promptings of the Holy Ghost, become a true disciple, and seek the healing power of our Lord’s Atonement. That bucket list will take you somewhere you want to go—back to your Father in Heaven.