Love, Hope, and Risen - The Savior's Promise

This episode is about the real reason we have hope — and it's not just a feeling. Cydni and Sher dig into the Resurrection, what love and hope actually look like when life gets hard, walking with Christ the second mile, and why reassurance might be the most underrated word in the gospel. There's also a hot Pilates class, a dog named Rudy, and Cydni nearly saying "resurrection" wrong about four times. This week's episode is "Love, Hope, and Risen — The Savior's Promise" and we are so glad you are here!

This Week's Challenge
This Easter, we challenge you to open your heart, seek the Savior, and choose to walk with Him the second mile.

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Show Notes

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Transcript

Episode 159 - Love, Hope, and Risen - The Savior’s Promise

[00:00:00] 

Cydni: What sunshine is to the flower? The Lord Jesus Christ is to my soul, Alfred Tenson. Welcome to the Cydni and Sher podcast. We're so glad you're here ' 

Sher: So the reason Cydni is being a little bit more serious today is because we are going to talk about our Savior. she pulled herself together and she wasn't snarky for a hot minute.

Cydni: And I read word for word, so I didn't get distracted in my head. 

Sher: I'm really proud of you. You did a really good job. 

Cydni: You, that's two actually this month. Wow. I was thinking about it that Mary Magdalene it was more reverent I just felt a deep call to be reverent during Mary Magdalene's, and this one's just like, it's pretty logical that I should be reverent. You know

Sher: Yeah. So Cydni and I, honestly, we didn't know where to start with this because how do you make a 30 minute podcast about the Savior of the world?

We owe absolutely everything to him. Our hope, our happiness, forgiveness, eternal life, and the [00:01:00] list just goes on and on and on. We owe all we have. To our Savior. We wanted to stick with our Easter theme, and we wanted to focus on the resurrection. So Let's define what resurrection means. And this is from the Bible dictionary. Jesus Christ was the first to be resurrected on this earth.

Resurrection means to become immortal with a body of flesh and bone. The New Testament gives ample evidence that Jesus rose with his physical body. He ate fish and honey. He said he had flesh and bones. The people touched him. The tomb was empty, and the angel said he had risen. One of the most fundamental doctrines taught by the 12 was that Jesus was risen from the tomb with his glorified resurrected body to obtain a resurrection with a celestial, exalted body is the center point of hope. In the gospel of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of Jesus is the most glorious of all messages to [00:02:00] mankind. Latter day revelation confirms the reality of the resurrection of Christ.

I can't think of a more horrible few days than what the Savior went through and what his disciples witnessed, which then leads to the absolute most joyous day ever where they got to see our resurrected Savior again. So it was complete opposites in a matter of a few days, when I read about the Savior's Resurrection, I consistently had two words come to mind. And the two words, 

Cydni: wait, no. I wanna tell you my word first. 

Sher: Oh no. What is it? 

Cydni: Actually one, I just wanted to cut you off. I just felt like it was my turn. And we've gotta take turns. Sher said last week in our , partner review that she makes me have. We've 

Sher: never had one of those ever. It would probably be better if we did though. 

Cydni: No, I would have hurt feelings. 

Sher: I would have hurt feelings. 

Cydni: Okay. No, there really was a word when I [00:03:00] was taking my own little notes. I almost wrote, instead of resurrection, I almost wrote reassurance. Twice. And I thought, well that's interesting because they do sound similar, resurrection, reassurance.

I mean, they both start with R and then I thought that actually is a beautiful word for the resurrection. And I looked that up. So before you tell me your two words, I'm gonna tell you my one word and it says it's an act of restoring someone's confidence, removing doubts and fears, providing comfort and support. And in a Christian concept, it's trusting in our Savior who has already secured our greatest hope. So as I've studied , I thought how beautiful to consider that the resurrection provides us reassurance. And that word to me feels very steady and anchored 

Sher: Cydni. I think your word summed [00:04:00] up. My two words, which are love and hope, I can feel that love and I definitely have hope because of the reassurance and the knowledge that we have, that our Savior is resurrected he. Went through all the suffering he did with the atonement and his death so that he could save every single one of us, which, this life to me would just be, So depressing if I did not have that knowledge because it literally does boy me up and give me hope every single day that there is something better, that we will get to see our family again. That I will get to see my Savior and Heavenly Father again, and that if we can all just hang in there, that there is something so much greater.

Cydni: Your testimony right now just reminded me of the hot Pilates class I attended this morning. 

Sher: Why 

Cydni: It reminded me of that because the class had probably 45 people in it this morning, a hot Pilates class, and I would say only four of that group were over the age of 37 and [00:05:00] everyone else looked like they were 19.

And at the very end, if you want to. Meditate for a little while. They'll give you like a cold cloth to put over your face. Well, I sat there with the cloth over my face for a while and was like, I could do this. I could continue the commitments I made, like motherhood and a wife and stuff like that.

I could do this. And then I finally got up and the only people that were still laying there. We're all people over 37. And the reason it reminds me of it is that I thought, some of us are probably gonna be like, please don't resurrect me yet. I just need a few minutes. And they will definitely be the over 37 crowd.

Sher: To get resurrected. 

Cydni: Yeah. Don't resurrect me yet. Like let me rest for a little bit. Do you see where I'm going with this? 

Sher: No, because I feel like when you get resurrected, that's when you get to rest. 

Cydni: Yeah. But then you're around everybody again. Could I just have a little alone time? For just a minute? I don't even get to go to the bathroom alone still. And my kids are old, so it's weird. 

Sher: . All right. Well, trying to bring it back. The whole point of this is that [00:06:00] Jesus loves us even to the extent that he will let you have alone time at some point. I am sure, but Jesus wants the opposite. This is what's so amazing about Him is he never gets burned out.

He wants to be around people, this is shown by how many people never want to leave Him. This is what your children are doing to you, Cydni. They never want to leave you. They wanna be around you all the time. Aw. 

Cydni: I do make great pancakes. It makes sense. 

Sher: See, there you go. His disciples said in Luke 24 and they drew Nye unto the village. Whether they went and he made us though he would have gone further, but they constrained him saying, abide with us for it is towards evening and the day is far spent, and he went to Terry with them. Then when he appeared to the Nephites, he told them he needed to leave, but instead this is what happened.

And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes roundabout again on the multitude and behold, they were in tears and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him [00:07:00] to tear a little longer with them.

And so he did. When people asked him to stay, he stayed with them. And what I learned from this is we can ask the same thing when we don't wanna be alone, when we need comfort, we can ask our Savior and He will be there with us. President Uchtdorf said, one, look into his eyes and we would never be the same. We would be forever changed, transformed by the profound realization that indeed, God is among us.

He further states. Open your hearts to our Savior and Redeemer. No matter your circumstances, trials, sufferings, or mistakes, you can know that He lives, that He loves you, and that because of Him you will never be alone. God is among us. All right? That phrase, God is among us. I just love that. Maybe we can't physically see our Savior, but Elder Uchtdorf tells us to open our hearts and we will never be alone.

[00:08:00] He's here. The youth theme this year is Walk With Me this has really made me reflect am I opening my heart and am I choosing to walk with the Savior? Because my Savior doesn't want to be left alone. 

Cydni: I couldn't agree with you more. I've thought about the different words we have, seeking Christ to open your heart to Christ and also to walk with me. I recognize that all of these are actions that we are asked to take, and 

Sher: that's exactly right. 

Cydni: Thank you. You're welcome. Was that better than the hot Pilates? 

Sher: Yeah. 

Cydni: Okay. And when I was taking notes on Open Your Heart, just because that really did, it touched my heart probably because I needed to hear it and I thought to myself. What we're asked to do is to open our heart, open our heart to what to feel, and to repent, to soften our heart, to heal, to change, and to make our heart new. And that is what will happen for us when we choose to walk [00:09:00] with Him. 

Sher: You're right. It's a choice. It's an action that we need to take. Our Savior is not shunning us. He never wants to do that. That's Satan. Satan tells us we're not worthy That. God has given up on us. That is not true. The Savior wants us to turn to Him, to walk with Him, to open our hearts, to let him in, that's what he wants. And then oftentimes too, when things are not going right, we just get down and we shut the door on our Savior

and. things are at the lowest for you. That is when Christ wants us to turn even stronger and harder to Him. President Nielsen said that increasing darkness that accompanies tribulation makes the light of Jesus Christ shine even brighter. This quote, I love that it's showing.

Yes, there is this awful darkness that may be going on in your own life and definitely in the world, but the darker things get in our world, that means the light of Christ is [00:10:00] going to continue to shine brighter this light is gonna point the way to not only us, but our fellow brothers and sisters in this world.

He's showing us that life could be easier, it could be more peaceful, there could be more love and more hope if we turn to Him. And so I try to remember that as I see the world going. Insane. That also means that the light of Christ is going to continue to shine brighter. And if I choose, then that light of Christ will also shine brighter in me.

Cydni: And speaking of Walk With Me, there is a fabulous talk by President Timothy l FARs, where he says, a believer or follower might go with someone who compels them to walk a mile, but a disciple. Jesus Christ goes the second mile.

The call is not just to walk with Christ, but to walk with him the second mile. And he continues to say, there is so much goodness in the first mile, but there is [00:11:00] godliness in the second mile. In the first mile. We might obey God's commandments out of duty. We might be going through the motions, focusing on outward appearances in the second mile. We obey God out of love with a pure heart and real intent.

Blessings come in the first mile. Miracles happen in the second mile. In the first mile. We might forgive those who seek our forgiveness in the second mile. We forgive everyone no matter what in the first mile, we repent to change our behavior. In the second mile, repentance changes our hearts, our very nature.

We have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. We obtain a fresh view about God, about ourselves, and about the world. We fully turn to Him. I love that it ends on another action word to turn to Him. And something I loved about your outline Sher is that everything to do with love has a lot of work with it because that's actually [00:12:00] true I think we grow up, some people do grow up watching chick flicks and stuff and thinking how love is going to look, but I remember. Once while I was on a stair mill listening to Kanye West, this thought came to my mind about love, here we are thinking love is so easy, that it's supposed to just be a smooth experience for everyone involved, and yet the greatest example of love that's ever been given. Was Christ bleeding from every pore and giving up his own life. And maybe love requires a whole lot more action and a lot more seeking, a lot more turning to a lot more change and repenting and a lot more walking with than we think about sometimes. 

Sher: It's a really good point because. As I was reading through this, what I learned about the love from our Savior is he's paid the ultimate price in showing how much he loved us. He loves us, but in return, we need to learn how to love Him. that's [00:13:00] the key here is if we want to receive that love, we need to open our hearts and to walk with him. . And then just like that quote that you said that's when we get to see the miracles, . Is when we choose to love Christ.

All right, let's move on to the second word, which is hope. When I look at the world today, I see more and more, this is just my opinion, that it is truly becoming a spiritual battle. It's not about politics and it's really not about what policy is best. It's about if we are choosing to open our hearts and walk with our Savior in this final spiritual battle before our resurrected Savior returns again.

Why this gives me hope is I know the ending the Savior will someday. We don't know when. Will return again and He will win. Then like the saints that we read about from the Bible in the Book of Mormon, we get to be with our Savior in his light for a thousand years. And these are some of the scriptures [00:14:00] that. . Give me hope. In Zechariah chapter two, verse 10, it says, sing and rejoice. Oh, daughter of Zion. For lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of these sayeth the Lord. In Matthew 25, verse 31, it says, when the son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.

Then in first Nephi chapter 22 verse 26, and because of the righteousness of this people, Satan has no power. Wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years, for he has no power over the hearts of the people for they dwell in righteousness and the holy one of Israel. Rayna in Moses, chapter seven, verse 54.

And there shall be mine abode and it shall be Zion, which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made, and for the space of a thousand years, the earth shall rest. Oh my gosh, I can't wait. It sounds so hopeful. To have Satan gone and all the chaos gone, [00:15:00] and to have our Savior reigning and to fill that peace and that rest that gives me so much hope.

I just wanna tell you, last Sunday, the primary kids were singing and the Chorus Stir asked if I could be the audience for the kids. So they're getting ready for the performance, and I was watching them and, you know, giving little facial expressions, like if they needed to be louder or whatever. And I decided beforehand that I was gonna act like I was crying, but Cydni, I really did get tears in my eyes. And the reason I got tears in my eyes is because as I was listening to these little children sing this beautiful song with all their hearts, I just had this thought Come to me. Life doesn't have to be. As complicated or chaotic as it is, they're just singing truth in this beautiful song, and I felt such peace in my heart, if all the world could just embrace. And fill the Savior's love it would be [00:16:00] so wonderful. after they got done singing, I just told them how beautiful it was and I got this feeling in my heart that maybe someday, maybe I'll be worthy enough to be with my Savior and to feel that peace and that hope. And. I'll be able to dwell with him and I too will be able to rest. I can't wait for that. So if we could. I mean me Sher, if you could just follow Cher, the simple plan of the gospel, my life and everyone else's life would be so much easier. But I like to make it more complicated and not listen and do what I want and do my own thing, and then I get the consequences of that.

Cydni: I feel like maybe not. Easier, but more light in the dark.

Sher: I think that's a better way to say it, when I said easier, I was thinking more peaceful and less yucky feeling, you know? Mm-hmm. When everything gets chaotic and you just feel yucky, 

Cydni: oh yes, I know all of 

Sher: that, that hopefully will go away but Cydni, since none of [00:17:00] this has happened yet, we can still feel love and hope in our hearts, even in all the chaos. From the Saints book it talks about when Joseph Smith was in Liberty Jail, and the Saints were going through so many trials and persecutions. This is from the Saint's book. The savior reminded Joseph. The Saints could not suffer more than he had. He loved them and could end their pain, but he chose instead to suffer afflictions with them carrying their grief and sorrow as part of his atoning sacrifice. Such suffering filled him with mercy, giving him power to sucker and refine all who turned to him in their trials. He urged Joseph to hold on and promised never to forsake him. I'm not gonna lie, I read this quote. And the reason I do is it reminds me how much Jesus loves me. He suffered for me and you individually. It also gives me hope that I will never be forsaken or tossed [00:18:00] aside. Jesus Will and already has suffered from my sins and my pains and my trials if I choose to turn to him. It's already paid for Cydni

What I, love about this quote is that it explains that yes, Christ can end all of our sufferings, all of our pains at an instant, but instead he chose to suffer with all of us individually. I honestly don't know how he did it, he went through it with us. He's already done it. He's already paid for it.

But again, I need to turn to him. This reminded me of our episode last week and Peter walking on the water. Peter would not have sunk had he continued to keep his eyes and faith in Christ. If we do the same, we will never completely sink. This is what gives me hope. Jesus has us. He loves us unconditionally.

And then just one more scripture. This is in Zephaniah chapter three, verse 17. The Lord thy God in the [00:19:00] midst of thee is mighty. He will save. He will rejoice over thee with joy. He will rest in his love. He will joy over thee with singing. I love the scripture.

In my brain, I can just see this rejoicing of the Savior when we truly do open our hearts up and when we do choose to have that faith in him, I see Cydni. Do so much for her kids, it's constant. And when they return that love, there's a little more of a sparkle in your eye you're so happy that they're noticing what you did for them they're returning that love the same is for our Savior Jesus Christ, when we recognize everything he sacrificed for us and re return that love. There is so much joy in his heart. And this gives me hope for me and for another life that is so much greater. 

Cydni: Sher said in the beginning that it was a little overwhelming to consider that we are going to try to do and episode on [00:20:00] Christ. I will be very honest that I froze for a few days because it was so overwhelming to me. And then I just thought and was reminded that our role and our intent has nothing to do with educating everybody that listens with everything you need to know about Jesus Christ.

Our intent and our hope is that we could together be reminded of how critical it is to spend time to get to know our Savior, Jesus Christ. And I was thinking of a story I could share about how my friend that I grew up with and I became best friends after high school because we started opening up and being honest and spending time with each other and having good communication and good listening skills and how it would be for having a relationship with Christ that you need to spend time with him and get to know him but I had this thought as I've studied lots of different sermons on Christ and read different poems about Jesus Christ that there is nothing anybody else can say. That will do more good for [00:21:00] you and your relationship with our Savior. Then if you personally, if I personally seek him, if I personally turn to him, if I personally open up my heart and choose to walk with him,

I could tell you all about how wonderful my friend is, but it would be such a different experience if you met her personally. And our call to action is for you to meet Christ personally. You do that by seeking Him, and you do it by reading the stories and by praying. And by listening.

And I do think it's helpful to have the reminders and to listen to other people's testimonies and you fill the spirit. And I think that plants a seed in you to encourage you. That's sometimes you rely on someone else's testimony while yours is growing. And for me it was Bruce R. McConkie's last testimony. That has, since the first time I listened to it has put a desire in my heart to have my own testimony. 

Sher: [00:22:00] Cydni I'm so old. I remember when he gave that. it was so impactful. 

Cydni: Oh, it's so beautiful. And listening to it, it's better than me reading it. But I remember feeling that I wanted that level of testimony and. I do think that's where sharing our testimony is so critical is that you could help other people and plant a seed to help them with their own testimony. And he did do that for me.

And I can't say I'm where he is, but I'm closer than I was when I was a teenager. And this is the words he spoke and now, as pertaining to the perfect Atonement wrought by the shedding of blood of God, I testify that it took place in Gethsemane.

And as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that He is the Son of the living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself, independent from any other [00:23:00] person. I am one of His witnesses. And in a coming day, I shall feel the nail marks in His hand and in His feet, and shall wet His feet with my tears, but I shall not know any better than I know now that He's God's Almighty son, that He is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way. God, grant that all of us may walk in the light as God our Father. In the light so that according to the promises, the blood of Jesus Christ, His son will cleanse us all from sin. We challenge you to prepare for Easter in a way that you never have before. We challenge you to put forth more hearts as you seek and turn and walk with Christ for He has risen. 

Sher: Indeed, He has. And this brings us to our final thoughts. As Cydni and I have studied and discussed this episode, the more two words filled [00:24:00] our hearts love and hope. Because of Him, we are never alone. We can always invite Him to stay and be with us in a world that feels increasingly heavy. His light shines even brighter, and that gives me so much hope because we know how the story ends. He wins, and if we keep our eyes on Him, we won't sink. Jesus has us. He loves us, and because of that, we can walk forward with faith knowing something far greater is ahead.

This is our prayer 

Cydni: from Cydni and Sher I love the Bible dictionary. It's a good book. it says that res, Now I'm gonna say resurrection instead of [00:25:00] reassurance. Okay. Good job. 

Sher: because of the rea reassurance, because of the rea. 

Cydni: It's tricky. Huh? It it's not just me, rea reassurance, resurrection. 

Sher: I'm not gonna think it out because of the reassurance Shut up.

Cydni: Sorry. I was also thinking like. W Riz. Do people still say that? 

Sher: I don't know. 

Cydni: Maybe that's what it came from. 

Sher: I don't know how to fix this. And then you did that. 

Cydni: It works. I would've edited this, but I couldn't get into ours, so I'm gonna do my best with 

Sher: Oh, you're welcome. 

Cydni: No, it's okay that you don't know our password Still, you're 

Sher: welcome for that. It's 

Cydni: fine. That's normal. 

Sher: Are you blind today? 

Cydni: What's going on? Well, it's in the tiny font 'cause I usually copy and paste it. You 

Sher: can make it bigger 

Cydni: in a talk. 

Sher: Can 

Cydni: you just go, I'm happy.

Sher: Okay. 

Cydni: and real love, Rudy, and I thought, you know, Rudy is outta control today. Maybe doesn't like Kanye West. I had a thought come to me that here your dog is outta control.

Sher: I know it, is that the sa 

Cydni: Was that him again? 

Sher: Yes. Oh my goodness. 

Cydni: I was just saying shut your mouth. 

Sher: Ultimate I did it anyway. No, we dunno. 

Cydni: I [00:26:00] just tried it again instead listening to you. 

Sher: Good choice. 

Cydni: It's because my love language is recognition.

Sher: what do you mean Cydni? 

Cydni: I'm just kidding. What have you not noticed? 

Sher: Thanks for joining us. 

Cydni: We're so glad you're here. 

Works Cited

All general authority talks and scriptures are sourced from LDS.org unless otherwise noted.

Bible Dictionary. "Resurrection." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. churchofjesuschrist.org.

Farnes, Timothy L. "Be a Second-Mile Disciple." BYU–Idaho Commencement Address, December 18, 2025.

 newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org.

Luke 24:28–29. The Holy Bible, King James Version.

Matthew 25:31. The Holy Bible, King James Version.

McConkie, Bruce R. "The Purifying Power of Gethsemane." General Conference, April 1985. 

churchofjesuschrist.org.

Moses 7:54. The Pearl of Great Price.

Moses 6:34. The Pearl of Great Price. (Youth Theme: "Walk With Me")

1 Nephi 22:26. The Book of Mormon.

Nelson, Russell M. "Hear Him." General Conference, April 2020. churchofjesuschrist.org.

Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, Vol. 1. The Church of Jesus Christ of 

Latter-day Saints, 2018. churchofjesuschrist.org. (Liberty Jail account)

3 Nephi 17:5. The Book of Mormon. (Jesus lingering with the Nephites)

Uchtdorf, Dieter F. "God Among Us." General Conference, April 2021. churchofjesuschrist.org.

Zechariah 2:10. The Holy Bible, King James Version.

Zephaniah 3:17. The Holy Bible, King James Version.