Good evening brothers and sisters – the evening session of stake conference has always been one of my favorite.
Our theme for this conference comes from the book of Alma and from the action of the great Captain Moroni, and how he had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God. The setting for this part of the Book of Mormon is one of war and contention – fraud and deceit – and the Nephites fighting for their freedom and liberties. I’m sure it was a difficult time for all involved.
The setting for our day also that of a time of war – perhaps not in our backyards as was happening to the Nephites – it is times where deceit and fraud are common place. There is anxiety and circumstances of fear and concern. As humans beings we seem to be emotional by nature and as the media and those around us seem to panic many begin to lose hope, and know not where to turn for peace. It has been a difficult time for many of us as well.
During this time of confusion we need to continue to prepare ourselves and our families for what ever circumstances may arise. We should continue to get our food storage, pay our debts and obligations and to put our homes in order. This should be done with prudence and not to the extent of going overboard, or going into debt or panicking. The Lord has always told us he will take care of His people, for 40 years the children of Israel wondered in the wilderness with no food storage – on more than one occasion the Savior fed thousand with a couple of loaves of bread and a few fishes. Why wound we think he wouldn’t continue to bless his people now.
Brothers and sisters, in each of our lives the Lord can and will give us direction and security. A few weeks ago I was going through one of these bouts of despair, discouragement and fear. I’ve had many opportunities in my life to receive revelation, direction and the comforting influence of the Holy Ghost. For me this does not come in the form of a vision, a voice or the appearance of some heavenly being. But it comes in a comforting feeling that all will be well or in the remembrance of the words of God through the scriptures or by the words of living prophets. During one of these anxiety filled restless nights – after much prayer, I awoke with the recollection of a quote that I have read and used many times. It was so familiar to my recollection at this moment of waking that I recited it in my mind over and over – then it was followed by the sweetest felling of comfort and peace, that I know this message was specifically in answer to my prayers at this time.
It was as if the Lord had added my name to the beginning of this phase – Paul. “Life can be wholesome, with inner peace and solid hope, as you live the law, keep the commandments, and humble yourself before our Father.” This wasn’t as large an event as happened to the Prophet Joseph Smith when he read James 1:5. It didn’t result in a vision from heavenly messengers. But in its own way the feeling was similar.
Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to (my) heart.. than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed (inner peace and solid hope) from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get (some relief I didn’t know how I would be able to continue to go forward).
Brothers and sisters – its not my intent to make light of the miraculous event that took place for the Prophet Joseph Smith – but we should understand that there is no scriptures or manifestations of the spirit that isn’t also our right to experience as righteous followers of Christ.
I had used this quote so many times that I knew exactly what I should be doing and it brought me the comfort I needed.
I too have had times in my life that like the Prophet Joseph Smith –I have cried in my prayers “O God where art thou.” Or like the doubting father asking for a blessing for their child in the New Testament and “said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
These scriptures and phases have been given to us for our edification, direction and hope. As we draw near to the Savior and live in accordance to the formula of revelation – not only do the scriptures become alive in our hearts and minds, but personal revelation and Christ like attributes become part of our being – part of who or what we are. We then can turn ourselves over to the Savior and the assurance that he will make more out of our lives than we could ourselves.
Elder Marvin J. Ashton many years ago told a story of a father traveling with his young bind daughter. While in a crowed compartment in a train, a friend seated nearby asked the father if they could help – they reached over and took the little girl onto their lap.
A few moments later the father said to her, “Do you know who is holding you?”
"No,” she replied, “but you do.”
“She knew she was safe because she knew her father knew who was holding her. She was at peace because she knew and trusted her father.”
“We plead for peace in our prayers and thoughts. Where is peace? Can we ever enjoy this great gift while wars, rumors of wars, discord, evil, and contention swirl all around us? The answer is yes. Just as the little blind girl sat on the stranger’s lap with perfect contentment because her father knew (them), so we can learn to know our Father and find inner peace as we live his principles.”
After the death of the Savior there was some confusion of what would happen and what the Apostles should do. It is important to note that when Jesus came forth from the tomb and appeared to his disciples, his first comment was, “Peace be unto you.” Peace—not joy, not wealth, not personal accomplishments nor happiness—is one of the greatest blessings a person can receive. Our trust and our relationship with our Heavenly Father should be one similar to that of the little blind girl and her father. When sorrow, tragedy, and heartbreaks occur in our lives, wouldn’t it be comforting if when the whisperings of God say, “Do you know why this has happened to you?” we could have the peace of mind to answer “No, but you do.”
After the Savior declared peace unto His disciples – as is the case in most of our lives their circumstances didn’t improve in the eyes of the world. There continued to be persecuted and many were killed. Our trials or pain many times will continue – but our outlook, faith and willingness to accept Gods can be strengthened as a by products of inner peace that comes by the spirit and the assurance that all will be well.
Elder Ashton continued –
Certainly peace is the opposite of fear. Peace is a blessing that comes to those who trust in God. It is established through individual righteousness. True personal peace comes about through eternal vigilance and constant righteous efforts. No man can be at peace who is untrue to his better self. No man can have lasting peace who is living a lie. Peace can never come to the transgressor of the law. Commitment to God’s laws is the basis for peace. Peace is something we earn. It is not a gift. Rather, it is a possession earned by those who love God and work to achieve the blessings of peace. It is not a written document. It is something that must come from within.
As we have celebrated Christmas these past few weeks – some of our children mistakenly believe that all gifts are free. But, the gifts of the spirit are given freely to those that live by the principle predicated to those gifts. As Elder Ashton stated they are earned by those who love God and diligently work to receive them. Many of us in this room are from the generations that have been so blessed during our lives and some mistakenly believe that it is our right or privilege to have the blessings we have been given. Some mistakenly believe that blessings of wealth and privilege are signs of righteousness - while others believe that those that suffer must have done something wrong.
This thinking isn’t new - John chapter 9: 1-3
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest.
It’s so important that we don’t judge the righteousness of other by their circumstances. That judgment belongs to God, when in reality the trials they bare may be specifically for their learning and exaltation.
We sometimes fail to understand that the everlasting peace Jesus promises is an inner peace, started with faith, straightened by testimony, fortified with love, and manifest through obedience and repentance. It is a peace of spirit that penetrates the heart and the soul. –
When we possess this inner peace, the worries of the world and everyday life became secondary to the will and purposes of God. We receive the knowledge that all will be well as concerning the things that really matter is concerned.
President Hinckley stated –
There is no peace in sin. There may be ease, popularity, fame, and even prosperity, but there is no peace. “Wickedness never was happiness.”
Elder M Russell Ballard -
One cannot be at peace if one is living a life out of harmony with revealed truth. There is no peace in being mean-spirited or contentious. There is no peace in vulgarity, or permissiveness. There is no peace in addiction to drugs, alcohol, or pornography. There is no peace in being abusive to others in any way, whether it be emotionally, physically, or sexually, for those who are abusive will remain in mental and spiritual turmoil until they come to Christ in all humility and seek forgiveness through complete repentance.
In deed when Captain Moroni was preparing the minds and hearts of His people it was so that they could receive the spirit of the Lord – that they could feel this inner peace in the midst of the violent storms that surrounded them. It is the hope that allows us to turn outward helping others in their trials rather that to wallow in our own pity.
The scriptures are full of references that talk about peace. Paul talked about the peace of God “which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Moroni talked of peace for our troubled hearts only comes to us as we follow the Light of Christ, which is “given to every man, that he may know good from evil”. The Lord talking to the Prophet Joseph Smith told how the Holy Ghost shall teach us the peaceable things of the kingdom.
Elder Ballard cont -
Peace—real peace, whole-souled to the very core of your being—comes only in and through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When that precious truth is discovered and gospel principles are understood and applied, great peace can distill in the hearts and souls of our Heavenly Father’s children. Said the Savior through Joseph Smith, “He who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” (D&C 59:23).
This can only come through righteousness, the closer we come to the Savior - the more we understand that He will not abandon us – that the same love that made it possible for Him to perform the atoning sacrifice will continue to do everything possible to lighten our load – give us hope, direction and the calming peace that He promised to His disciple.
What can we do -
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