Video presentations from three speakers for BYU’s annual Easter Conference will be posted online starting March 29 at 7 p.m.
The keynote speaker for the conference will be Marie Hafen, author of “Faith is Not Blind” and “The Contrite Spirit: How the Temple Helps Us Apply Christ’s Atonement.” BYU ancient scripture professor Tyler Griffin and Church historian Jennifer Reeder will also speak.
Videos of the conference addresses will be available for free on the BYU Religious Studies Center website.
Ancient scripture professor Jan Martin is a committee member for the conference this year. She said this event is normally held in-person for the campus and community. She estimated that 400 to 500 people would fill the auditorium and several overflow rooms of the Joseph Smith Building.
But this year Martin said the speakers pre-recorded their presentations and that videos will be available online even after the conference is over. She said the goal of these yearly conferences is to help people focus on Christ at Easter.
Hafen’s presentation is entitled “When Does Easter Morning Come?” She will discuss how the story of Mary Magdalene at Jesus’ tomb shows what is possible for an individual’s personal deliverance.
“The Easter story isn’t yet finished,” Hafen said. “It’s not finished until we have experienced His redemption for ourselves. And that takes hearing Him, turning to Him and doing what He asks.”
Hafen said she hopes students and other listeners will feel increased hope and comfort after listening to the conference.
Griffin said his presentation will focus less on the event of Jesus’ resurrection itself and more on the process that led up to it. He wanted to focus on how Jesus lived and what that means for those listening to the conference.
“He can be in me,” Griffin said. “His life can become more infused into my life. That glorious event of resurrection can actually be a fuel for my own discipleship.”
Griffin said he hopes listeners will leave the conference feeling a deeper connection to their Savior Jesus Christ. He said he wanted them to feel empowered from the grace of Christ. “Because He lives, they can live more joy-filled lives today.”
