Deanna Draper Buck - My First Story of the First Easter

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Buck, Deanna Draper. My first story of the first Easter / Deanna Draper Buck.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-59038-871-6 (board book : alk. paper)

ISBN 978-1-60907-527-9 (paperbound)

1. Jesus ChristMormon interpretationsJuvenile literature.
2. EasterJuvenile literature. 3. Board books. I. Title.

BX8643.J4B83 2008

232.9'7dc222007041135

Printed in Mexico
R. R. Donnelley, Reynosa, Mexico

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For GeorgeDB

For My GrandchildrenJH

Other Books by Deanna Draper Buck

More of My First Book of Mormon Stories

My First Articles of Faith Book

My First Book of Mormon Stories

My First Church History Stories

My First Old Testament Stories

My First New Testament Stories

My First Story of the First Christmas

My First Church History Stories

My First Book of Latter-day Prophets

My First Book of Temples

JESUS TEACHES THE PEOPLE

For three years Jesus had been teaching the people to love Heavenly Father and to be kind and to help each other. He healed the sick and made the blind to see, the lame to walk, and the deaf to hear. Some who had died were even brought back to life by Him.

Jesus had also chosen twelve men, called apostles, to work with Him and to be witnesses of His miracles. He taught that the greatest love we can have is to be willing to die for a friend and that He was preparing to die for the sins of the world.

JESUS TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM

When the time came for Jesus to finish his mortal mission, He traveled to Jerusalem and rode into the great city on a donkey. It was the time of a special celebration called the feast of the Passover, and many people were in Jerusalem for the feast.

When Jesus entered the city, the people ran to greet Him. Those who loved Him and believed He was the Son of God waved palm branches and shouted, Hosanna! Hosanna! They were happy to see Jesus and eager to hear more of His teachings.

THE TEMPLE

Jesus wanted to teach at the temple, but when He got there He found people busy selling animals and changing money. Instead of worshiping quietly and reverently, the people were shouting, and the animals were making loud noises.

The confusion made Jesus sad, and He told the greedy men to take their animals and leave the temple. Then Jesus said to the people: My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

TEACHING AT THE TEMPLE

Many people were at the temple and wanted to hear Jesus teach. The wicked rulers did not believe Jesus was the Son of God. They were jealous of Him and wanted to kill Jesus, but they were afraid to do so because the people loved Jesus. Judas, one of Jesus apostles, told the wicked men he would help them capture Jesus. The wicked men paid Judas thirty pieces of silver for his evil work.

THE LAST SUPPER

Jesus and His apostles met together in an upper room for the feast of the Passover. Jesus blessed some bread and wine and gave it to His apostles. He told them to remember His body and His blood whenever they ate the bread and drank the wine.

Jesus also knelt on the floor and washed the feet of the apostles. He was teaching them to serve each other. He said to them, I give you a new commandment, As I have loved you, love one another.

THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE

Judas left the Last Supper early so he could go tell the men who hated Jesus where to find Him. After the feast, Jesus and the rest of the apostles went into a garden called Gethsemane.

Jesus asked the apostles to wait for Him and to pray. Then He went a little farther into the garden to be alone. He prayed to Heavenly Father and suffered for our sins. This atonement made it possible for us to be forgiven when we repent so that we can return to live with Heavenly Father after we die.

JUDAS

Judas led Jesus enemies to the Garden of Gethsemane. There, he kissed Jesus on the cheek so the wicked men would know which man was Jesus. When Peter saw that they were going to capture Jesus, he used his sword and cut off the ear of one of the wicked men, but Jesus quickly replaced the ear and healed the wound. Jesus loves everyone, even His enemies.

HEROD AND PILATE

The wicked men took Jesus to the Roman rulers Herod and Pilate. They told lies about Jesus, but Herod and Pilate didnt believe the lies and wanted to let Jesus go free. The wicked men shouted more and told more lies. Pilate wasnt very brave, and he didnt want the angry people to cause a lot of trouble, so he finally told them they could crucify Jesus.

THE CRUCIFIXION

Roman soldiers took Jesus and nailed Him to a wooden cross and crucified Him between two thieves. While hanging on the cross, Jesus told His apostle John to take care of His mother, Mary. He also asked Heavenly Father to forgive the men who crucified Him. Jesus was always kind and concerned about others, even while He was in great pain.