President Nelson releases Easter morning video, capping an apostolic fortnight of Easter messages

President Russell M. Nelson capped a fortnight’s worth of daily Easter messages from Latter-day Saint leaders by posting a declaration on social media on Easter morning that Jesus Christ’s Resurrection made immortality a reality for all people.

“Jesus Christ is our ultimate exemplar,” President Nelson said in his post, “‘who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.’ He lives! He is our Advocate with the Father and our Redeemer. Without his Resurrection, death would be the end. Our Savior’s Atonement made eternal life a possibility and immortality a reality for all.”

Each of the 15 members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shared an Easter message one at a time over the past 15 days.

Latter-day Saint apostles serve for life and are set apart as “special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world,” according to scripture. Three apostles form the First Presidency. Twelve more make up the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

The daily Easter messages were released in reverse order of apostolic seniority, leading to Sunday’s message from President Nelson.

The messages began Monday, March 18, and ran daily through Easter morning.

The first two messages were videos released via social media on Monday, March 18. The leaders used the hashtag #BecauseOfHim with their posts.

“Because of Him, we can be guided and strengthened as we bear the burdens we face in mortality,” the First Presidency stated in its earlier joint 2024 Easter message. “Through our faith in the Savior’s atoning sacrifice, the bonds of sin cannot hold us and the trials that we experience in life will have no lasting power over us.

“The sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.”

March 18 posts

In one of the first two messages, Elder Ulisses Soares spoke about Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, which is now celebrated each year on Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday represents the beginning of Holy Week, which ends in the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter.

“May we spread out our robes of love and palm leaves of charity, walking in the footsteps of the Prince of Peace as we prepare to celebrate the miracle of the empty tomb,” Elder Soares said.

Elder Patrick Kearon said the atonement of Jesus Christ offers healing even to those who feel it is impossible.

“Jesus specializes in the seemingly impossible,” he said. “He came here to make the impossible possible, the irredeemable redeemable, to heal the unhealable, to right the unrightable, to promise the unpromisable.”

March 19 post

Elder Gerritt W. Gong said this season is the time to celebrate the living Jesus Christ.

“Only the living Jesus Christ in his perfect resurrected form still bears the marks of crucifixion in his hands, feet, and side. Only he can say, “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands,” he said.

March 20 post

Elder Dale G. Renlund said those marks allow Christ to empathize perfectly with each person.

“Jesus Christ overcame the world and “absorbed” all unfairness. Because of him, we can have peace in this world and be of good cheer. For those who come unto Him, joy and gladness will replace grief and sorrow.”

March 21 post

Elder Gary E. Stevenson Called the Book of Mormon “a remarkable Easter gift” that is another witness of the Easter miracle.

He said it “contains perhaps the most magnificent Easter scriptures in all Christianity... His visit as a resurrected Savior, introduced by God the Father, is a most glorious and triumphant Easter message.”

March 22 post

Elder Ronald A. Rasband called Holy Week “the most important week in human history.”

By divine design, his atoning sacrifice concluded his mortal ministry, making it possible for us to live with our Heavenly Father for eternity,” he said.

March 23 post

Elder Neil L. Andersen counseled those who follow Christ to seek to focus their minds on him.

“Jesus is never in a forgotten corner, because our thoughts of him are always present, and all that is in (us adores) him,” he said.

March 24 post

Elder D. Todd Christofferson said Christ offers the only true path to unity in an “extremely contentious world.”

“Unity does not require sameness, but it does require harmony,” he said. “We can have our hearts knit together in love, be one in faith and doctrine and still cheer for different teams and disagree on various political issues, but we can never disagree or contend with anger or contempt for one another.”

March 25 post

Elder Quentin L. Cook said Christ’s charge to his disciples to love one another at the Last Supper applies to every one of his disciples.

“How we relate and interact with each other is a measure of our willingness to follow Jesus Christ,” he said.

March 26 post

Elder David A. Bednar said Christ experienced every physical pain, spiritual wound, anguish of soul, heartache, infirmity or weakness that anyone will ever feel.

“Because of his infinite and eternal sacrifice, he has perfect empathy and can extend to us his arm of mercy and help us to do that which we could never do relying only upon our own power,” he said.

March 27 post

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said Christ’s eternal sacrifice can blot out sins large and small.

“Because of Jesus Christ, our failures do not have to define us. They can refine us,” he said.

March 28 post

President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve, said Easter offers the great consolations that “because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so.

“This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ ‘at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death,’ (Mosiah 18:9) for surely that is how he stood by us when it was unto death and when he had to stand entirely and utterly alone,” he said.

March 29 post

President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, said consolation that Christ walks with each person and paid the price of the sins of each person provides a gift of the peace that “passeth all understanding.”

He quoted Christ speaking in John 14:26-27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

March 30 post

President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, reiterated the Christian doctrine that the Atonement gave Christ power to help with every mortal pain and affliction.

“Because of His atoning experience in mortality, our Savior is able to comfort, heal and strengthen all men and women everywhere,” he said.

The church also released a new Easter webpage that includes a Holy Week study guide, text messages, videos and children’s activities designed to help focus Easter celebrations on the risen Jesus Christ.

The church also offers a free Easter special by the Tabernacle Choir on Temple Square and other videos in the church’s Media Library.

There is an Easter study plan in the Gospel Library, and church members’ weekly study will focus on Easter in the “Come, Follow Me” curriculum during March 25-31.