Philip’s Egg An Easter Story

At Institute, my teacher shared a story of a young child named Philip. Everyone in the room wept as he told the story of Philips Egg. When I got home I searched for this story, and I found it. It was shared by Marrion D Hanks at the Apr. 1992 General Conference. Here is the story as he told it.

As Easter time approaches, let me share with you the tender story of an eleven-year-old boy named Philip, a Down’s syndrome child who was in a Sunday School class with eight other children.

Easter Sunday the teacher brought an empty plastic egg for each child. They were instructed to go out of the church building onto the grounds and put into the egg something that would remind them of the meaning of Easter.

All returned joyfully. As each egg was opened there were exclamations of delight at a butterfly, a twig, a flower, a blade of grass. Then the last egg was opened. It was Philip’s, and it was empty!

Some of the children made fun of Philip. “But, teacher,” he said, “teacher, the tomb was empty.”

A newspaper article announcing Philip’s death a few months later noted that at the conclusion of the funeral eight children marched forward and put a large empty egg on the small casket. On it was a banner that said, “The tomb was empty.”

Every time I read this story I start to tear up. I think about little Philip and his faith in Jesus Christ and the hope of the empty tomb. Philip inspires me to have more faith in Jesus Christ. Think about how much hope the Empty tomb should, and will bring to those who follow Christ. I shout Hallelujah and I add my voice to Philip’s.

But Teacher…The Tomb Was Empty.