An Easter in a taste of Zion

Home alone this year for Easter. Bummer? A bit. MaryAnne found out on Monday that she was able to score two roundtrip sta tickets due to a friend who works for JetBlue (thank you Christy) and so she flew home on Friday with Annie and James to visit family, attend a wedding, go with my brother the first time to the temple, and hear her parents speak at BYU's Women's Conference.

After dropping MaryAnne and kids off at the airport, I came home and studied all night for a test that I have tomorrow. I woke up early on Saturday, went for a run, and then it was back to the basement dungeon to study. I will admit I felt sad when MaryAnne called from my parents' house and I could hear all the fun and laughter in the background and my mom told me that they were eating some of my favorite treats with out me "in my honor." Wow. Then, I heard all of the kids outside my window on the Easter Egg hunt/potluck picnic that was going on in the park which is my back yard. It was shaping up to be a barrel of monkeys for me.

Then, I got a text from a friend, inviting me over that night for games. I went over last night and it was a much needed break in the day.

Today, I woke up feeling a bit lonely, but by the afternoon I had been called by 5 friends inviting me over to enjoy an Easter dinner with them. I was moved by their thoughtfulness of including me when they knew I was alone. Obviously, I couldn't attend 5 dinners (I wish), but it made me feel great to know that others were looking out for me. I went to church which was delightful. Only 75 minutes long this week and the meeting was just readings of Christ's life from the scriptures and musical numbers. I left feeling very uplifted and jetted home to get the rolls in the oven for dinner tonight. I have spent the last while studying the idea of crucifying the old man of sin and rising new in Christ, fitting on a day when Christians like myself celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. I also watched this great message on the life of Christ.

I am lucky to live where I do, a place with so many friends who look out for each other as we all struggle to complete educations and raise families. I am reminded of a scripture in the LDS cannon from the book of Moses which describes Zion: And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.

That is how I feel about the community that I live in. It is like a little taste of Zion out here in Rochester, NY. So, while it is sad to be away from MaryAnne, Annie, and James, I do have a supportive community of friends to share the day with.