Easter Walk put on by Soda Springs Stake

The Soda Springs Stake hosted an Easter Walk during Holy Week, which was open to the public. There are a number of traditions across the valley for the Easter season, but this walk represents the first year that the stake has put on an event of this sort.  The inside of the stake center was redressed artfully to help convey the events of Holy Week from the entry into Jerusalem to the resurrection.  The wards throughout the stake, as well as leadership groups, were involved in putting the event on.  Stake President Richard Evans explained, “All of the wards in the Soda Springs stake were involved, as well as the Family History Center workers. Each organization was in charge of coming up with an activity that corresponded with an event (or sometimes multiple events) that occurred during the last week of the Savior's life. The Stake Relief Society and Primary Presidencies were also involved in the planning and logistics.”

The rooms corresponded to the events of the Biblical account of Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday.  Rooms were decorated to inspire contemplation and communicate something of the actual experience as it may have happened.  Visitors were welcomed into the building by Stake Primary President Denise Steiner and others, and directed to the first station, a room covered in paper palm leaves on which visitors were encouraged to add their own messages and place on the ground for those who came after them.  

The journey then led to a room commemorating the cleansing of the temple, and other important moments on the path.  The Teachings of the Savior, Last Supper, Garden of Gesthsemane, Trial and Crucifixion, and Garden Tomb were all uniquely arrayed to capture the essence of the moments they invoked.  Throughout each room, a high level of design and material dressing—from guides’ outfits to food items, painted backdrops, recreations of important items, and large pictures helped to create a solemn and impressive mood.  Lighting was also used effectively, as, for instance, in the Garden of Gesthsemane’s mostly dark interior or the Garden Tomb’s small space designed to replicate the empty tomb.

Videos played in many of the rooms, depicting dramatic portrayals of the events, which grew increasingly laden with unease, until the final room, which featured white light and, at the very end of the walk, a representation of a risen Jesus.  The change in mood and tone between the last rooms was effective at demonstrating the underlying message of the resurrection, where darkness gave way to light, and fear to hope.

Similar Easter Walks have been held at locations throughout the country over the last few years, as a way to open Easter events up to a larger community than the church services themselves.  The walk was open to the public, and was well-attended by both church members and many other community residents.  “The goal of the Easter Walk was to help the people of this area create a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ.  We hope that everyone came away with a greater love for the Savior and gratitude for His sacrifice on their behalf,” Evans said.

While it’s impossible to know what each individual visitor may have felt, it was certainly an impressive event.  Stake President Evans explained that “This was the first time that we have done an Easter Walk like this. At the end of last year we decided that we wanted to do an Easter activity to help the people of the area create a stronger relationship with the Savior. As part of doing that we wanted to encourage new Easter traditions that are centered on the Savior and Holy Week.”

Based on the enthusiasm of the guides and visitors, it’s likely that there will be volunteers to make the event a tradition going forward.  Brenda Kunz, who welcomed visitors into the “cleansing of the Temple,” was delighted with how it had gone.  “It has been so fun to see all the people come through here.  I think this is a great idea!”  

Stake President Evans agreed, explaining that he felt like things had gone better than anyone imagined, and that the event had conveyed the hoped for message.  “To me,” Evans said, “the greatest message of Easter is that He lives! Jesus Christ truly rose from the tomb making it possible for each of us to also be resurrected as He was and return to the presence of our Heavenly Father.”

Whether the stake continues this event in future years or not remains to be seen.  In the meantime, a Stake Conference is scheduled for April 20 and 21. A Young Men's Camp will take place on July 10 through July 13, and a Young Women's Camp will take place from July 18 through 20.