Keys, Covenants, and Easter

It has been a special blessing to have the Sunday session of general conference coincide with the actual day we celebrate Easter. Our emphasis at Easter encompasses the eternity-shaping events that occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the cross at Calvary, and in the Garden Tomb where Jesus Christ was resurrected.

It is my witness that His Atonement accomplished His Father’s plan of salvation and provides the way for everyone who has ever lived to be free of death unconditionally and free of sin on condition of repentance. Therefore, the seminal doctrines of the Resurrection and the Atonement have been accomplished by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

This Easter Sunday also coincides with the magnificent vision of the Savior that occurred in the Kirtland Temple on Easter Sunday of 1836—190 years ago—just one week after the Kirtland Temple was dedicated. That day, like today, was one of those times when Easter and the Passover season overlap.

The appearance of the Savior to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and the keys committed by Moses, Elias, and Elijah are central to the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the latter days. The role of Elijah in restoring the priesthood keys of the sealing power is crucial in our journey of returning to our Father as a covenant people.

A little Church history will help put these events in perspective.

During the night of September 21, 1823, the angel Moroni appeared to 17-year-old Joseph Smith in a small log cabin near Palmyra, New York. The angel Moroni visited three times during that night and again in the morning. He taught and retaught critical information related to the unfolding of future events in the Restoration of Christ’s gospel.

He told Joseph of gold plates hidden in the hillside nearby. In addition, he quoted prophecies from the Old Testament. The second section of the Doctrine and Covenants contains Moroni’s words to Joseph Smith relating to Elijah:

“Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

“And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.

“If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.”

If I were a 17-year-old and had access only to the Bible, I would have been very confused. Who was this prophet Elijah? And what priesthood would he reveal? Why would the whole earth be wasted if the children did not turn their hearts to their fathers and remember the promises made to them?

Elijah was a remarkable prophet who held sacred priesthood keys and through whom mighty miracles were performed. Christians, Muslims, and Jews the world over accept Elijah as a prophet. Muslims believe that Elijah was a prophet sent by God (Allah) to call people away from idol worship—especially the worship of Baal—and back to the worship of the one true God.

The Jews have been waiting for Elijah’s return for over 2,900 years as a forerunner to the coming of the Messiah.

Prior to Jesus Christ’s mortal ministry, the prophet Elijah exercised the sealing power of the Melchizedek Priesthood.

It is noteworthy to me that Elijah also appeared, with Moses, at the time of the transfiguration of Christ. Elijah conferred priesthood keys of the sealing power upon Peter, James, and John.

It is also significant that when Christ visited the people on the American continent, He specifically recited to them the Old Testament account in Malachi concerning Elijah and his role in uniting families eternally prior to the Second Coming of Christ.

Because of the Restoration, we understand the important and pivotal role Elijah has played in the salvation of mankind. Elijah committed to Joseph Smith the priesthood keys pertaining to the sealing power to bind sacred ordinances and covenants on earth and in heaven. This includes the vicarious ordinances of salvation and exaltation that must be performed here on earth in the temples of the Lord. The sealing ordinances are effective after this life and in the eternities—to seal husbands and wives, parents and children. Without these keys, there are no eternal families, and “the whole earth would be utterly wasted.”

One of the many special spiritual experiences I had with my dear friend and beloved missionary companion—and later my Quorum President—President Jeffrey R. Holland, related to the prophet Elijah.

Starting in 2009, Elder Holland and I had the privilege of escorting various groups of people—including Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox Rabbi leaders, as well as secular Jewish leaders—through open-house tours in temples here in Utah.

At the baptismal font, I had the opportunity to explain to them the doctrine of baptism for our deceased ancestors. This relates directly to Malachi’s promises of turning the hearts of children to their deceased fathers. I read to them from 1 Kings 7:25, where Solomon’s temple is described. The baptismal font sits on top of the hinder parts of twelve oxen representing the twelve tribes of Israel. This brought both recognition and tears to some. They realized that they were essentially looking at certain aspects of Solomon’s temple, which has sacred significance to both Jews and Muslims.

When we entered the sealing room, Elder Holland was overcome with emotion and, with tears in his eyes, explained to them that he did not want to offend them but felt compelled to share something. Then, in a very spiritually powerful way, he explained that Elijah indeed had come and restored the sacred keys that allow the eternal sealing of husbands and wives and their families. He explained that the sealing room, where we were assembled, is a place where the restored keys are exercised. Our Jewish friends appreciated the fact that Old Testament scriptural accounts of prophets are featured so prominently in our temples and doctrine.

A few years later, Jewish leaders requested that we celebrate the 175th anniversary of Orson Hyde’s historic dedication of the Holy Land in Jerusalem. Elder Holland and I were blessed to represent the Church at that celebration.

Two additional experiences following that event were particularly significant to me. First, I came to understand Elder Holland’s history with Jerusalem. He was in his 30s when, on behalf of President Spencer W. Kimball and other Church leaders, Elder Holland spearheaded the effort to establish the Jerusalem Center on the Mount of Olives. He worked for almost 15 years with many others to accomplish most of what the Church built in Jerusalem. Elder Holland worked tirelessly with both Palestinian and Jewish leaders.

Elder Holland loved being in the places where the Savior performed miracles and accomplished the Atonement.

Second, during the visit to Jerusalem, there was time for Elder Holland and me, along with our wives, Pat and Mary, to be together next to the Garden Tomb and read the precious verses from each of the four Gospels that recount the last few days of the Savior’s earthly ministry, culminating in His atoning sacrifice and glorious Resurrection.

Can you imagine how it felt for two former missionary companions, then serving as Apostles, and our sweet wives, having the opportunity to walk where Jesus walked, to read from sacred scriptures of the last days of His mortal ministry, and to feel the spirit of these miraculous events?

Let me assure you that you do not need to physically visit Jerusalem to feel the same things that we felt that day and have many times since.

You can have that knowledge and confirmation by the Spirit when you study the life of our Savior, the restoration of the priesthood, and the return of the sealing keys by Elijah that unite our families for eternity. You can feel by the surety of spiritual confirmation that our Savior accomplished the Father’s plan. He atoned for our sins and broke the bands of death so that we might return to the Father and the Son in the celestial kingdom.

I promise to you on this Easter Day that as you adhere to His ordinances, covenants, and commandments, you will grow closer in your relationship with our Savior as well as your appreciation and gratitude for the sealing keys that have been restored in this dispensation.

I testify that the keys committed by ancient prophets to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple are an essential part of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

As an Apostle, I bear my sure and certain witness of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, who leads His Church. I testify of His Atonement and Resurrection and rejoice with you on this special Easter Sunday for all that the Savior has accomplished that we might have eternal life. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.