Journey of Journeys

"How can we celebrate the empty tomb with empty lives?"

Easter is more than a date on a calendar; it is the ultimate "System Update" for our bodies and spirits. While the world spent thousands of years worrying about the "Two Deaths," Christ’s Resurrection provided the fix. But a fix is only as good as the user’s implementation. This song explores the "Arduous Trek"—the daily process of becoming more like the Master.

Set the Stage: The Arduous Trek

Imagine you are preparing for a massive, one-way journey into a high-altitude wilderness. You only have one backpack, and once you cross the border, you can never come back for more supplies. Most of us spend our lives packing that bag with heavy, "perishable" things: our job titles, our bank accounts, our social media followers, and our collection of "stuff." But Elder Neal A. Maxwell warned us that the "gate" at the end of the road only allows specific items through. On this Journey of Journeys, the only things that survive the trek are the things we have written on our hearts.

Need more backstory? Check out our Fireside Moment for this story here.

The Big Idea: Portable vs. Perishable
Why did Elder Maxwell call this the "Journey of Journeys"? Because it is the only trek that actually matters in the long run. We often spend 40+ hours a week developing "perishable skills"—learning how to use software that will be obsolete in five years, or building businesses that won't exist in fifty.

The Savior invites us to pivot. He asks us to develop "portable attributes"—things like patience, meekness, humility, and love. These are "portable" because they are the only things that pass through the veil of death. When we stand before the empty tomb, the question isn't "What did you own?" but "Who have you become?"

The Resurrection and the "Real" Journey

While the Resurrection is a spiritual miracle, it is also a profoundly physical one. Jesus didn't return as a ghost; He returned with a glorified, tangible body of flesh and bone. In a world that often pulls us into "virtual" spaces—where our social lives are digital and our adventures happen on a screen—Easter reminds us that the Joy of our bodies is a gift to be practiced now.

On the "Journey of Journeys," we are invited to balance our lives across four specific tracks: Spiritual, Social, Intellectual, and Physical. Developing our physical strength through exercise, getting outside into God’s creation, and experiencing "real life" with our families isn't just about health; it’s about honoring the gift of a body that Christ has guaranteed will be ours forever. Finding moderation in our digital habits allows us to fill our "empty lives" with real-world experiences that sharpen our souls and prepare us for the trek ahead.

Why a Song About a 1991 Talk?

You might notice that Journey of Journeys is built almost entirely on a fireside address given 35 years ago. Why? Because truth doesn't have an expiration date. Elder Maxwell’s "In Him All Things Hold Together" is more than a speech—it’s a technical manual for the soul. In a world that moves faster and gets "noisier" every year, his reminder to trade perishable distractions for portable holiness is the ultimate Easter "system update." We wanted to put these words to a beat so they stay in your head—and on your heart—long after the music stops.

Thoughtful Question

Elder Neal A. Maxwell asked a piercing question: ‘How can we celebrate the empty tomb with empty lives?’ We spend so much of our week building up ‘perishable’ things—like our grades, our sports stats, or our collections of stuff. If you had to pack a ‘spiritual backpack’ today with only the things that can pass through the veil—like your kindness, your patience, or your love for others—what is one specific ‘portable attribute’ you want to work on filling your life with this week?

Lyric Scripture Blueprint

LYRIC HIGHLIGHT	SCRIPTURE & MAXWELL BRIDGE
“What manner of men ought ye to be? / ...Verily I say, even as I am”	3 Nephi 27:27 — "Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am." Elder Maxwell calls this inquiry from the Lord the "embodied invitation" of our journey.
“It’s an arduous trek, yeah, the climb is steep / But I got a promise that I gotta keep.”	The Trek — Maxwell describes the unfinished journey of a disciple as an "arduous journey" compared to which all other treks are but a "brief walk in a mortal park."
“Now, I could learn a trade... / But the perishable things don’t fit the bill.”	Perishable Skills — "So much of our time is ironically devoted to learning and marketing perishable skills that will soon become obsolete."
“I need the portable stuff that’ll pass the gate / When I walk through the veil...”	Alma 34:34 & Maxwell — "These attributes are eternal and portable! Being portable... they will go with us through the veil of death."
“Gotta be patient, gotta be meek / Gotta find the very love that the joyful seek.”	Mosiah 3:19 — "...and becometh a saint... submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love." Maxwell lists these "traits that mark the trail to be traveled."
“So tell me! How can we celebrate the empty tomb / With empty lives filling up the room?”	The Core Question — Maxwell’s piercing Easter inquiry: "How can we celebrate the empty tomb with empty lives? How can we celebrate his victory over death by being defeated by the world?"
“In Him all things hold together tight / Shining like stars in the middle of the night.”	Colossians 1:17 — "In him all things hold together." Maxwell notes that when things seem to fly apart for us, Christ is the imagery of stability.
“With loving kindness, He paid the cost / So not a single traveler would ever be lost!”	D&C 133:52 — "...they shall mention the loving kindness of their Lord." Maxwell adores this "special word" used to describe the Savior's mercy.
“He swallowed up death / He drank the bitter cup...”	3 Nephi 11:11 — "I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me." Maxwell marvels that He partook of it without becoming bitter.
“He’s waiting for us with open arms / ...It’s the journey of journeys!”	The Conclusion — "I wait for you with open arms. But it is we who must go to him in this journey of journeys."

Family Activity: Choose Your Adventure

Option A: The Eternal Backpack

Try This: Place an open backpack or suitcase in the center of the room.

1. Ask the kids to find items in the house that they love but cannot take to heaven (perishable)—like a Nintendo Switch, a trophy, or their favorite shoes. Put them in a pile next to the bag.

2. Now, give everyone "Portable Attribute" cards (slips of paper). Have them write down one thing about their character they want to take with them (e.g., "Being a good helper," "Telling the truth," "Loving my brother").

The Pivot: Only the "Attribute" cards go inside the backpack. Everything else stays in the pile outside.

Reflect: Why does it feel better to "pack" kindness than to "pack" toys? The tomb is empty so that we can fill our lives with the things that never die.

Option B: The "Hold Together" Challenge (Resilience)

Try This: Gather a handful of random, loose items that don't easily stay together (like a pile of pens, some smooth stones, or a deck of cards).

1. The Action: Ask one family member to try and carry all the items across the room using only their hands—no bags allowed. Usually, things will start to "fly apart" and drop.

2. The Pivot: Now, provide a "binder"—this could be a rubber band, a piece of string, or even just a tray. Have them try again.

3. The Connection: Read Colossians 1:17: "And he is before all things, and by him all things hold together."

Reflect: Elder Maxwell taught that when our lives feel chaotic or like they are falling apart, Christ is the "divine design" that holds the pieces together. What is one area of your life right now that feels a bit "loose" or overwhelming? How can trusting in the Savior help those pieces "hold together" this week?

Walk With Me: Reinforce the Week with a Daily Habit

The "Marketable vs. Portable" Daily Gear Check

Try This: Once a day this week, when you are working on a skill (homework, sports, piano, or chores), ask yourself: "Is there a portable attribute I can practice while I do this?"

Example: If you're doing hard math homework (perishable skill), can you practice patience (portable attribute) while you do it?

Why: This helps you realize that your daily "grind" is actually the training ground for your eternal character. You aren't just doing math; you are building a soul.

Reflect: Elder Maxwell noted that "the things of the world need not be sinister in order to be diverting and consuming." When you practiced a portable attribute (like patience or kindness) during a perishable task (like homework or chores), did the task feel different? Did it stop being a "telestial treadmill" and start feeling like part of your "journey of journeys"?

Behind the Music

We chose a driving, rhythmic acoustic feel for this song because a "trek" requires steady momentum. The lyrics are conversational and honest, reflecting the struggle of a "guy like me" trying to answer a heavy question. We wanted the chorus to feel like a wake-up call—a bright, percussive shout that reminds us to "look alive" because the Resurrection changed the rules of the game.

Distraction-Free Lyric Video

Safe, distraction-free viewing for families.

Distraction-Free Cinematic Video

A lyric-free visual reflection designed for quiet viewing, discussion, or replay.
🎵 This cinematic version is a Joy member exclusive—created as a quiet, lyric-free way to reflect and feel the story.