Finding joy

I sat on the back row in Primary today. For Sharing Time the leader played a video clip of the Savior’s Crucifixion. For Senior Primary, ages 7-11, it was an emotional experience. When the crown of thorns was pushed down upon his head, the children’s gasps could be heard. When the scourging whip was produced they again murmured with protest, and some began to cover their eyes, though no actual violence was shown. And then when our Savior’s hand was portrayed as being stretched out on the beam with the spike held in place, the row of ten year old girls in front of me began to cover their faces. One, whose mother was the teacher, buried her face into her mother’s arm, and then as the hammer was raised, turned further around to look at the floor behind her mother. These girls and their precious tender hearts could not bear to witness the terrible scene that was never shown, but that they dreaded even imagining. Boys sat tensely, as if daring themselves to see, but flinching at the terrible implications they were facing. Women wiped at the flow of tears. The men were even paled. The room was filled with anguish. We all faced for a moment the terrible event and wished we could retreat from the knowledge.

The video ended and the leader stood up and expressed how much our Savior loves each of us.

When the children sang today, it was a release of emotions and their voices filled the room with rejoicing. I was reminded of the words of the one who gave his life for us on the cross that day, “be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).